On the Differences Between Soulmates and Lifemates
by separate-sisters
Summary: HBP compatible 7 unknown. HG x RW, later HG x DM. What if your soulmate is too close? Where does your romance lie? With your lifemate, of course. HG finds her soul and her life as things get hairy during 6th yr at Hogwart's. Rating for language and later
1. The Soulmates Choose

**On the Differences Between Soulmates and Lifemates**

disclaimer: Harry Potter and all characters therein belong to J.K. Rowling and are borrowed by the author. Any other, original characters belong to the author. Don't take them they'll run away and come back home to me.

**Chapter 1: The Soulmates Choose**

"Hermione, I must talk to you, before we go back to the Burrow this weekend," Ron said quietly, trying to keep Harry and Ginny from hearing.

"Sure, what about?" Hermione said sickly. She, too, had things to say, and feared what would happen when everything came out. She rose from her seat in the Gryffindor common room and led Ron to her chambers in the prefects' dormitory. She charmed the lock on her door and let Ron enter first, then followed and locked and silenced the room.

"Hermione, I"

"Ron, I"

Both smiled and laughed, the tension dispersing in their wake. Hermione smiled warmly at the man before her, more a friend and brother than any else in the world.

"Shall I go first, or would you like to?" Ron asked politely, reverting to formality in his discomfort.

"You first. Who knows, we may be saying the same thing, and that will save oxygen," Hermione said in her best professor's voice.

"Hermione, I love you so much, you've been like a sister, but more all these years. I have Ginny, but they are two completely different relationships," Ron began, watching Hermione's face closely for any signs of a bad reaction.

"And I feel the same about you. However" Hermione trailed off.

"You don't want to date anymore, either, do you?" Ron said suspiciously.

"Look, you were about to end our relationship, so don't get mad at me for initiating the discussion. I love you, but I think romance is no longer in the equation."

"I don't think it was ever a question of romance, Hermione. You complement me in every way"

"But I don't complete you. I get it, Ron. And I feel the same way about you. So, this is an amicable parting?"

"Hermione. I need to say this. I think you are my soulmate."

"Didn't we just agree that we have no romance to speak of?"

"Being your friend, and being with you, loving you, and making love with you you've taught me that soulmates are more like brother and sister, a pair that complements one another as opposed to completing each other. What I mean is, this aspect of our relationship taught me us that soulmates are too close to be in a romantic relationship. It would be like being in a relationship with myself."

"So, we're breaking up because we fit together too perfectly?"

"No, because we're each the same piece. I can't complete you, and vice versa. We had the relationship and closeness because we were so alike."

"I'm sorry; I feel the same way. I think that it would be a good thing to move on romantically."

Me, too. And you're really okay with this?"

"Yes, Ron, I'm fine. It's too bad, though, we did have great chemistry. I think that we should tell your family this weekend but keep it under wraps here until we get back to classes," Hermione said, her eyes misting over.

Ron came over to her and wrapped her in his arms. "Scary, isn't it? Everyone thought this would work out so well."

"Too well, as it were, I guess. Ron," Hermione said, wriggling against him, "I think we have some left over chemistry!"

Later that day, Hermione was straightening her robes for the second time that day, as Ron tightened his tie. He fixed it perfectly and slung his bag over his shoulder and messed up his tie.

"Here, let me, Ron," Hermione said, having fixed her own tie and having much experience with helping both Ron and Harry with their ties.

"Thanks, 'Mione. I wasn't trying to get you into bed, you know?" Ron said, blushing as Hermione laughed.

"Who knows, maybe I was trying to get you into bed. It will be awfully lonely without you here. Perhaps this is one thing we don't have to give up, not quite yet," Hermione said thoughtfully, turning Ron towards her mirror so she could observe his reaction.

"Hermione, you can't mean that. And anyways, the boys will being breaking down your door and they certainly wouldn't want to share you," Ron said, surprised at this new Hermione.

"Fine, but you can at least still come here and be with me. We can be together and cuddle and even sleep in the same bed without actually moving on to something more physical," Hermione was taken aback by Ron's reaction, and it showed in her voice. "If you're so convinced about the soulmates not being romantic, then you shouldn't be afraid to be alone with me!"

"Hermione, that's not it, and you know it. I want you, badly, but we just decided to end our romantic relationship I don't want you to regret anything. I don't want you to regret me, or us," Ron had turned to face Hermione, and he took her face in his hands. "I know I wouldn't regret any of this, but I'm afraid of losing you and our relationship in the physical stuff. Fuck, Hermione, you're the girl you're supposed to yell and scream and tell me to go do nasty things, not stand there and offer to be fuck friends!"

"Don't get angry with me, Ronald Weasley! I want to be more than friends. I want you, I want you in my life!"

"And I'll be in your life. You're my best friend; not even Harry means as much to me as you do, dammit, Hermione. But give me a break. You have class, I have class. I'll see you in our common room for dinner."

Ron turned to leave and Hermione yelled after him, "Fine! Let's break up and have dinner together! Makes a lot of sense to me, Weasley! It'd serve you right if I showed up naked!"

Hermione had seen neither hide nor hair of Ron all day, even at lunch. Sighing, she picked up her bag and left Lavender giggling with Pavarti and their crowd. She looked at her schedule, which even though it was a month and a half into the school year, she had not yet memorized it. She sighed again as she headed down to the potions dungeon.

"This is a very un-Hermione thing to do," Hermione whispered to herself.

"What exactly constitutes an un-Hermione action?" a cold voice said behind her.

"Speaking to you, Malfoy," Hermione turned, wand out, but she stopped when she saw the dark circles under his eyes.

"Better not do it then, Ron would be quite angry with you," Draco said softly, walking past her into the open door of the dungeon.

"Th that doesn't matter anymore! We we broke up!" Hermione said before she thought about it. She clamped a hand over her mouth and froze, waiting fro an attack that didn't come.

"Weasel King find a new princess? Cheated on you, did he? Hmm, perhaps he just couldn't bear snuggling up to a mudblood anymore," Draco gave a bark of laughter at the look on her face.

"You're a bloody prick, you know that? You deserve Pansy Parkinson!" Hermione spat.

"She and I are not together. We've not been together for a very long time. I thought you'd know. I assume you got the 'We should see other people' crap from Weasley?" Draco smirked, baiting her.

"No. But we will be seeing other people. Not that you care."

"Then you'll have no trouble meeting me in my sitting room for dinner this evening. And if you don't, I may have to tell Ron that you haven't been telling him everything," Draco's smirk got even bigger. He truly enjoyed verbal battles with Hermione, but he'd never let her know that.

"That won't work. Ron knows I tell him everything. We've always been like that, even before we dated," Hermione's breath quickened in her anxiety.

"Ah, but with the breakup so fresh in his mind, he wouldn't know who to believe, now would he? He hates me, but you confuse him. I just bet he started the conversation, but you jumped in and put the end to it, hmm?"

"How?" Hermione looked at Draco, wondering if he had circumvented her silence charms. "What do you think you know?"

"I would bet galleons that you then did something you're rather ashamed of now? Slept with him again, did you? Ah, well, weakness once is forgivable. It's not like you offered to be fuck friends."

With that, Draco stepped past Hermione into the Potions classroom, shutting the door behind him.

"I have a conference with the professor to discuss my marks on the OWLS. You understand, right?" Draco flashed a huge smile at Hermione, and her knees felt weak.

"Damn it all," Hermione sank against the wall, sliding to the floor and contemplating how Draco had found out about the morning's happenings.

Potions had gone off without a hitch, but Hermione felt anxious. She had to meet with Draco for dinner, in his own sitting room in the prefects' dormitory. She had to find Ron and tell him she couldn't make it that evening, and she had to find out if he had said anything to anyone. She dreaded telling him that she had spilled the beans to Draco Malfoy.

It was nearing the dinner hour when Hermione caught up with Ron, as he was on his way from the divination tower down to the Great Hall. He was walking with Harry, Pavarti and Lavender, and looking quite green.

"Hey, Ron, how are you supposed to die now?" Hermione laughed at the sight.

"'Mione, that's not funny. Besides, it wasn't my death she predicted. It was a vision she had in class, when she was leaning over me, checking my tea leaves."

"Yeah, it looked as if she were having a nightmare, really," Lavender chimed in.

"It was really strange, Hermione," Pavarti said, linking arms with Lavender as Hermione joined their group.

"Trelawney had one hand on his tea cup and when she put the other on his shoulder, she went into a trance. But she was whispering, so I didn't really hear what she said. Whatever it was, it freaked Ron out," Harry interjected, waving to Ginny who was walking towards them fro the far end of the corridor.

"I'll tell Hermione, then I'll catch up with you lot in the dining room," Ron said, stopping and putting his hand on Hermione's shoulder, taking her to an empty classroom.

"What was her vision now, Ron? Boils on your bum during the final Quidditch match of the year?"

"No. A snake-like monster stealing a young woman from a tower. I didn't say anything around Harry because it reminded me so much of when we almost lost Ginny in our second year. Look, d'you mind if I skiv on dinner tonight? I want to check on Ginny and talk with her and Harry about the vision."

"No, that's fine. I have to study tonight, anyways, and I was going to break dinner anyway. Funny how we seem to be right on nowadays, hmm?" Hermione tried to laugh. She was worried about Ginny now, and she'd have to hide it around Malfoy.

"Fine. What are you studying tonight?"

"Potions," Hermione said and clamped her hadn over her mouth, for the nth time that day. "I have to study, and I said I'd help some student with the parchment due Monday. 20 inches on veritaserum and its cousin potions and counter-potions. Script no taller than a finger width. Slughorn's enforcing that now. "

"Who are you helping?" Ron was trying to be interested, but having taken remedial potions so he could continue and get his Auror's certification, he found it hard to concentrate on the dreaded subject.

"I forget. I have the name in my notes somewhere. I'll see you later tonight, then."

"Hermione, I'll just see you at breakfast tomorrow. I know how you study. You'll be up all night perfecting everything. Try to get some sleep," with that, Ron kissed the top of Hermione's head and left the classroom, leaving her blushing as she recalled how they had 'studied' so often.


	2. On That Strange Night

**On the Differences Between Soulmates and Lifemates**

disclaimer: Harry Potter and all characters therein belong to J.K. Rowling and are borrowed by the author. Any other, original characters belong to the author. Don't take them they'll run away and come back home to me.

**Chapter 2: On That Strange Night**

Hermione dreaded going to Malfoy's rooms that evening. She appreciated that she wouldn't have to find out what he knew and how he knew it in public, but she was afraid of being alone with him. He was muscular, taller than her, stronger, linked to dark wizards, and, according to rumor, he had a liking for firewhiskey and the ladies when he was drunk.

"Well, perhaps he'll curse me and I won't have to worry about Ron and his wacky soulmates ideas," Hermione thought aloud.

"Now why ever would I do that, Miss Granger? As if Potty and the Weasels aren't ready to kill me as it is?" Draco appeared behind Hermione and she gasped at how close he got before she had realized he was there. She leaned back, catching her breath from the fight, but he was right behind her, and she lost her balance and fell against his sturdy chest. "Watch it, Granger. If someone sees this, I don't care if Weasel is a flaming faggot, he'll hunt me down and kill me. I have plans for what's left of my life, thank you."

"Like what?" Hermione said as Draco came out from behind her and opened the charm on his rooms. She could have sworn he had said 'what's left of my life', but she wasn't sure; it would be awfully strange of him to put it that way. BR: yes, it would, but I love doing really cheesy foreshadowing sometimes. AN: Sometimes?

"You don't have the right to ask that, do you?" Draco said sharply. Hermione followed him into the room and let him charm the locks on the door after her. She felt him put a silencing charm on the room.

"What are you doing that for, Draco?" Hermione asked, suspicious.

"Why do you ask, Hermione?"

"Why'd you use my first name, Malfoy?"

"Why'd you use mine?"

"Argh!" Hermione dropped her bag and threw her hands up in frustration. "Why did you ask me here tonight?"

"Because you're no longer with Weasley, and who better to see to affirm the split than me?" Draco was trying to be suave, but his amusement at her being put out was making him smile.

"So this is just to rub Ron's nose in the fact that he and I are no longer in a romantic relationship?"

"Are you still fucking him?"

"How could you ask me something like that? I don't ask you questions like that!" Hermione screeched, suddenly grateful that Draco had silenced the room.

"That's right. Because you don't ask me questions. In fact, you don't talk to me at all," Draco said loudly, his voice rising as she continued to verbally poke him.

"Well, let's eat dinner and then I can leave. Or perhaps my behaviour has annoyed you to the point where I can leave without recourse," Hermione said triumphantly, sure she'd talked her way out of the situation. If she left now and went to Ron, perhaps they could salvage their romance, even if it would be cooler.

"Do you honestly think that Ron would take you back, Hermione? You've already spent twenty minutes with me, and I'd bet that you spent most of the day thinking about what would happen up here," Draco said viciously.

"How can you be such a skilled Legilimens," Hermione said, more to herself than to him.

Draco stiffened and straightened up, motioning for Hermione to take a seat at the small table laid with plates and silverware. He pushed her chair in for her before seating himself next to her.

"Aren't you supposed to sit across from your dinner-date, Draco?" Hermione said coldly.

"I'll bet no one knows you're having dinner with me. What excuse did you give them?" Draco asked, his eyes intent on hers.

"I said I was tutoring someone," Hermione whispered. "How do you know these things?"

"Because I know you, Hermione. We're far too much alike to spend all our time fighting, don't you think?" Draco said softly.

"So, you're randy, and think I'm easy? Some bint, like Pansy?" Hermione said venomously.

"NO. Damn it, girl, you make it awfully hard to be nice to you, you know that? I understand why Ron left," Draco leaned back in his chair, running his hands through his hair.

"No, you don't know why we separated. You couldn't know. You don't even have a soul!" Hermione shouted, tears in her eyes.

"Bloody hell. Hermione, stop crying. The food is here. I even made a house-elf bring it up! Yell at me. Scream. Just not with the crying, please," Draco begged. It was one of the few things his mother had taught him that his father hadn't been able to wipe out: if a girl cries, even if you didn't do it, you've got to fix it. Awkwardly, Draco put his hand on Hermione's shoulder, then slipped his arm around her shoulders and held her while she cried herself out.

"'Ere ya go, Mister Malfoy, sir. Dobby hopes you like it. Dobby even brought up Miss 'Ermione's favorites. I had to ask Mister Potter, but 'h was more'n 'appy to 'elp. Wanted to know why you wanted to know, but Dobby said young mister Malfoy 'ad 'is reasons, Dobby did. 'Ere ya go, and please, Miss 'Ermione, stop cryin'. Dobby hates to see Potter's Weasy and 'Mione cry," Donny set the food on the table, promising to be back when Draco called to remove the dishes.

Hermione sniffled. "Was that Dobby, Draco?"

Draco paled visibly, his face a sick shade of green against his silvery blonde hair. "Yes, Hermione."

"And he asked Harry what my favorite foods are? This means Harry and Ginny know where I am. And Ron, too. I'm done. We're both dead. Ron'll kill you, and Ginny'll kill me. I wish I could say that its been nice knowing you, but I try not to lie," Hermione said weakly.

"Tuck in, you've had a long day. Merlin knows you'll just crow over tutoring Draco Malfoy."

"I wouldn't do that. If I have to say anything, if you want me to lie, I'll tell them we have a Potions assignment together. Besides, I'll have the weekend to set everything and the assumptions aright."

"Why? Won't you be here?" Draco half stood up.

"No, we four are going back to the Burrow for the weekend. It's the first weekend we've had the ability. Draco, I really hope Harry didn't say anything to Ron. It would hurt him terribly. I couldn't do that to him. I love him."

"But you're separated."

"But we're soulmates."

"Come again, Granger? You just broke up!"

"How can I explain this? Ron and I talked, and figured out that soulmates aren't necessarily the ones you spend the rest of your life with, romantically speaking. More like siblings, but closer. Meant to be, but meant to be friends and partners."

"So what do you call your lover? Your lifemate?"

Hermione stuck a piece of her hair in her mouth and chewed on it thoughtfully. "I think you're onto something. Soulmates are your eternal best friends, and your lifemate is your eternal lover. They can be one in the same, but not for Ron and me."

"So now you look for your lifemate? What happens if you find out that he really is both to you? You're 16 how could you know for positive or negative at this age?"

"Perhaps you're right. Can we just eat? I'm really very tired."

"'Cause you fucked Weasley one last time."

"That's for me to know and you to masturbate over."


	3. The Morning After

**On the Differences Between Soulmates and Lifemates**

disclaimer: Harry Potter and all characters therein belong to J.K. Rowling and are borrowed by the author. Any other, original characters belong to the author. Don't take them they'll run away and come back home to me.

**Chapter 3: The Morning After**

Hermione woke early the next morning, except for the waking up part: she hadn't slept a wink that night, due to Draco's strange affect on her. She dressed carefully, taking pains to put together a presentable, if muggle, ensemble. She knew that she was bending rules by wearing muggle clothes under her school robes, but after dinner with Draco, she needed the comfort of her other life.

Hermione donned a pair of black velour pants and a silky soft chocolate brown t-shirt. She threw her robes on over the ensemble and was out the door in twenty minutes. On her way down to breakfast, Hermione bumped into a Ravenclaw prefect, who glared at her over rather widely flared nostrils.

"Ugh, muggle on my robes. Don't you have first-years to herd down to the dining hall?" the bigger girl hissed.

"Ugh, don't you belong in Slytherin?" Hermione said just as viciously.

"Now, now, Hermione, be nice to the other prefects. Don't want to spoil your formerly perfect reputation, do we? First a late-night dinner with a Slytherin king, then a run-in with Homuncula Bachwasscher?" Draco Malfoy appeared behind Hermione. "Personally, I think you should have stayed with me last night. We'd not even be out of bed at this point, and this whole ugly scene could have been avoided," Draco smiled and patted her arm in a conciliatory manner while he made his announcement loud enough to catch the attention of all the people coming down from the different House dormitories and the prefects' dorms.

Including Harry, Ginny and Ron. Neville was right behind Ron and hadn't noticed him stopping dead in his tracks, so Neville ended up bouncing off of Ron, into the wall, back towards the dorms, and eventually knocking over and landing on Luna Lovegood, who caught him with arms wide open.

"Neville, dear, you really do need to give the real world more of your attention," Luna said, but even a statement that out of character for the dreamy Ravenclaw couldn't tear the room's attention from Draco, Hermione, and Homuncula.

Harry reached out a hand to restrain his best friend, but Ron shook him off. Ginny shook her head and walked purposefully towards Hermione and Draco (Homuncula having fled the wrath of the hex-genius youngest Weasley), but it was Ron who spoke first.

"Hermione, be careful of snake and dragons," Ron said in a fake cheerful voice. "Dobby said you were upset, but you didn't answer when I knock on your door. I'm just glad I didn't interrupt anything. Alright you lot, time to get to breakfast. The staff'll come looking if no-one shows for food."

Ron left everyone with their jaws hanging open; usually, Ron Weasley never left an opportunity to beat Draco Malfoy or assert his importance to Hermione Granger. Ginny followed her brother, Harry followed his girlfriend, and Hermione was left to hang her head while Malfoy snarled at any who dared to disturb her.

"Why did you do that?" Hermione sobbed.

"It amused me."

"What's that? Why not just kill me? I'm sure that would amuse you for at least ten minutes. Or perhaps you really are failing Potions and you're afraid I'll out you as an imbecile," Hermione grated, turning fiery eyes on Draco.

"I'm his worst enemy. You're his soulmate, and whatever he says, the love of Weasel's life. What could be more amusing than turning the whole situation around on the two of you? Besides, when it comes down to Potions, we do have that project, and if I can keep Weasley from taking up your time and energy, we just may be able to pull a passing mark on said project," Draco said lamely.

"I hate you, but as you said, we both want a passing mark. However, you will make this right. You will apologize to Ron and smooth things over," Hermione said hotly.

"I'll take care of it this weekend. Now, to breakfast," Draco tried to take Hermione's hand to lead her to breakfast, but she whipped her wand out and through a silencing hex on him.

"Fuck that, snake-boy. We're going down to the Great Hall alright, but you are going to rescind what you said this morning, and you will apologize and help me clear up any and all misunderstandings, alright? If you don't, I will have Ginny charm your nuts and bolts so that only she or I can make them rise or fall. And you certainly don't want Pansy or Homuncula to get the wrong idea, do you?"

Draco nodded, and the idea of losing control of his said nuts and bolts paled beside the idea of Hermione and Ginny ganging up on him. They were faculty favorites, so it would take quite a stunt before they were stopped. Hermione was so like him; she just hadn't realized it yet.

Down in the Great Hall, most of the school seemed to have forgotten about the happenings on the way down to breakfast, or perhaps Hermione's sleep-deprived brain had magnified the audience. She marched Draco over to the Gryffindor table and released his silencing charm.

"Look, Weasley, I lied. You see, I was trying to help Hermione. She wants you back so badly she enlisted me to help make you jealous!" Draco shot out before Hermione stomped on his foot.

"Don't lie, Malfoy. I know you were just trying to make trouble. I know my Hermione, and if she spent any time with you last night, it was because you needed some sort of academic help," Ron said, almost cordially.

Ginny visibly relaxed into Harry and Hermione actually sighed her relief. Harry shot Hermione a look; this was so uncharacteristic of both her and Ron.

"But if you ever try to make her sound like a slag again, I'll rip'em off," Ron growled, grabbing Hermione around the waist and pulling her down on his lap. "Now get back to your table or Ginny'll bat-bogey you into next term!"

Harry laughed, realizing that Ron was just trying to live up to Hermione's perfect picture of a prefect when Draco pulled his wand out. Unfortunately for him, Ginny already had hers up and was about to prove her expertise when Professor Slughorn waddled up beside them.

"I don't want to take wands away from members of the Slug Club, but I will if I have to," he warned, waddling on as he winked at Ginny and Hermione. Draco turned on his heal and left the hall, motioning to Crabbe and Goyle violently, so they followed him with Pansy Parkinson not far behind.

Ron kissed Hermione deeply while Harry made gagging sounds and Neville laughed. Ginny elbowed Harry and then Ron.

"How'd you know he was lying?" Ginny asked, digging her fork into a heap of eggs Harry had dumped on her plate.

Hermione righted herself and looked at Ron. "Yeah, how'd you figure?"

"'Cause you're my soulmate, and it's my job to know?" Ron tried not to smirk.

"Eww, you look like Draco when you smirk like that," Hermione said, slapping a hand over her own mouth. Harry shot her another look, but she glared at him quickly before he spoke. Harry smiled and changed what he was going to say.

"Hermione, calm down. Ron was with me when Dobby showed up. Dobby asked what your favorite foods were and Ron asked why. Dobby explained about potions, and Ron took his frustrations up on Ginny's pillows," Harry said over a mouthful of egg and toast.

"My, my, well I guess it's good that I have them, isn't is?" Ginny said, noting how Hermione slid her eyes from Ron's quickly. "Tuck in. We're not eating lunch until we get back to the Burrow, and you don't want to starve on the way there."

"You sound like Hermione when you say stuff like that, Gin," Ron said around a full mouth. The quad laughed as they finished their breakfast before heading to their morning classes. Only morning classes were being held that day, as the scheduled inspection loomed.

The afternoon classes had been cancelled weeks ago thanks to the fact that the inspection that had been scheduled to meet over a break had been moved up. When they found out about the cancelled classes, the quad decided the best thing to do would be to get off campus for the long weekend, and the Burrow was the only place deemed safe enough for them all to go to together. Mrs. Weasley had been more than happy to open her home, and even the twins would be coming to visit.

The quad finished breakfast and headed to their respective classes, Ron caught Hermione's sleeve and pulled her aside.

"We'll talk at the house. But stay clear of Malfoy until we leave," Ron said before running off to Divination.

"I'll try," Hermione said to no-one.

Because they could not Apparate yet, the quad had to use a series of portkeys to get to near the Burrow, and then they would have to walk the rest of the way from the final portkey drop-off site. Hermione had prudently packed food into her weekend bag, forgoing extra school books.

"A very un-Hermione thing to do," Hermione muttered to herself, locking her door up in the prefects' dorm.

"You're doing a lot of those now, aren't you, Hermione?" Draco drawled, stepping into the light of the hall. Hermione looked around for Ron or any of her friends, but they were nowhere to be seen.

"Yup. Or perhaps you and I are not as alike as you would like to believe," Hermione said tartly.

"You do have a sharp tongue. Perhaps I should try it out, see how soft it can be," Draco grabbed Hermione roughly and bent her towards him, slanting his mouth over hers. He forced his tongue into her mouth, and she bit him.

"Don't try that again!" Hermione shouted.

"You bloody bit me. Get out of here, before I do something you'll truly regret, mudblood!" Draco snarled, holding his mouth.

Hermione ran out the door, down into the main corridor and Draco stalked back to his rooms. He threw the door to his bedroom open and flung himself down on the bed, feeling his tongue and his groin throb, and neither was an unpleasant sensation.

"You're doomed, Draco, old boy. Get it under control. She's muggle-born, and you're as good as dead if this gets back to the Manor," Draco said aloud.

Malfoy Manor.


	4. The Burrow

**On the Differences Between Soulmates and Lifemates**

disclaimer: Harry Potter and all characters therein belong to J.K. Rowling and are borrowed by the author. Any other, original characters belong to the author. Don't take them they'll run away and come back home to me.

**Chapter 4: The Burrow and the Words That Spilled Out There**

With all the portkeys and the long walks between them, Hermione, Ron, Harry and Ginny didn't reach the Burrow until early Friday evening. As they entered the front gate, several garden gnomes ran and hid, and those that didn't wear picked up by their ears, swung around no less than three times, and unceremoniously tossed far from the Weasley home.

"Mum, we're back! Ron, Harry, Hermione, Ginny we're all here and accounted for! We lost a few limbs along the way by illegally Apparating!" Ron called out, as his mother was nowhere to be seen.

"Ron's preggers and Viktor Krum won't submit to a paternity charm!" Ginny chimed in.

"Harry's scar fell off and he's run off to get it back!" Hermione laughed.

"Ron proposed and I said no!" Harry got into it, and they were all laughing by the time Mrs. Weasley showed up.

"Ronald proposed to Hermione?" she squealed.

"No, to Lord Voldemort. We think he's going to say no, though," Ginny giggled. Hermione laughed with her, and soon the quad was on the floor, laughing at their own bad jokes.

"Alright, you lot, off the floor and into the kitchen. I've got stew ready for you, to ward off the chill. Hermione, you look quite comfy. Are those muggle things?" Mrs. Weasley didn't even pause when she switched subjects, and the quad followed her into the kitchen and ate well of her work.

"Yes, they are. Would you like me to get you some, or come shopping with me some weekend? I'm sure we could find you some things that are just as comfy, without being quite so magical," Hermione offered, taking in Mrs. Weasley's outfit, a loud confection from Madam Baliwart's Boutique, outside of Diagon Alley. Ginny nodded.

"I'll go, too. It can be a girls' day, just the three of us!" Ginny chimed in, giving her mum the glassiest, most charming eyes possible.

"Your birthdays are coming up the day could be my gifts to you!" Hermione rushed on, catching a look from Ginny. Both girls knew that money was still tight for the Weasleys and that Molly Weasley would surely put off her own needs and wants for those of her family's.

"Alright, girl. Just me and my two daughters. Tomorrow, girls?" Mrs. Weasley laughed, sure they would turn her down.

Hermione felt a little guilty and turned to Ron, asking him silently to help her.

"Just make sure you lot are back in time so Ginny can play quidditch with Fred, George and us. Hermione, you'll have to play, too," Ron said in mock solemnity.

"Yeah, too bad about that. She'll have to be on your team, mate. You're dating her," Harry agreed, poking fun at Hermione and her lack of flying and quidditch skills.

Mrs. Weasley told them it was time to eat, and that they could plan their day after a good meal when the twins Apparated into the kitchen with a double-loud POP!

"Hello, Mum, Boy-Who-Lived, and the rest of you," Fred said blandly, scraping a bow to the group at the table.

"You're Hermione, right? Gorgeous, you are. You aren't taken, by any chance?" George bent low over Hermione's hand, placing a smacking kiss into her palm. Ron laughed along with everyone while Hermione blushed.

"Interesting. Our baby brother isn't threatening to gouge your eyes out, brother dear. Perhaps he's become a monk?" Fred eyed Ron with interest, curious about the change that had come over him.

"Hermione's practically a grown witch. I think she can handle herself around my nutter brothers. Besides, even back when we were second years she could have taken both of you at once," Ron said proudly. "But if she calls for help, you're both as good as dead."

"Hermione, Ginny and I are going for a girls' day tomorrow," Mrs. Weasley said proudly.

Fred and George's jaws dropped. George turned his attention back to Hermione. "How'd you manage that? You truly are amazing. Be mine?"

Ron stood up. Hermione tensed as she thought Ron would go back to his jealous, uptight self. George stood stock-still as his younger brother reared up to his full height, a few inches taller than the twins. Fred came to stand next to his twin, and he opened his mouth to speak, but Ron cut him off.

"Hermione and I are separated for the time being. So, no, she is not taken at this point," Ron said stiffly, emotion in his voice. He left the kitchen without another word, leaving a half-full plate and a room of open jaws in his wake.

Hermione leaped up from her chair and ran after him, out into the yard and the waiting woods.

The twins looked at each other, and then at their mother, whose eyes were brimming over. Sensing the thrashing their would be getting, Fred and George ushered Harry and Ginny out, not wanting to be humiliated in front of too many people.

The tongue-lashing never came. Instead, Mrs. Weasley cried.

"Hermione's always been like a daughter to me, and a sister to Ginny. What happened? Do you know what has happened? Have you spoken to Ron did you put him up to this?" Mrs. Weasley demanded.

"Fred, we know as much as you do nothing," Fred said earnestly, for once serious.

"We'll talk to him and Hermione and figure everything out. We all know they're meant to be. They just need to be reminded," George said soothingly. The twins knew how much Hermione meant to their mother; after Percy left, Hermione filled the requirements for a brainy, stiff-laced child, yet she had more compassion than Percy would ever be capable of. On top of that, she was the most normal girl Ron had ever been interested in.

"But more than anything, we can't do anything until they've talked and come back to the house," Fred said finally.


	5. The Mutual Agreement

**On the Differences Between Soulmates and Lifemates**

disclaimer: Harry Potter and all characters therein belong to J.K. Rowling and are borrowed by the author. Any other, original characters belong to the author. Don't take them they'll run away and come back home to me.

**Chapter 5: The Mutual Agreement **

It only took Hermione a few minutes to find Ron. He was on his way down to the little pond where he and Hermione had spent many happy, lazy hours together when they were at the Burrow. Hermione came upon Ron as he was skipping rocks across the water, and he heart broke as she remembered how he had been so amazed by how she could do it, he asked her to teach him. Now he could out-skip her by three to five every time.

"Ron, it's me, Hermione. We need to talk," Hermione said hesitantly.

Ron threw one more stone that hit the water and sank before he turned to face Hermione. "Yeah, we do. I didn't mean to blurt it out like that. But you wouldn't actually date one of my brothers, would you?"

Hermione laughed. "No, Ron. I love the twins, but they are like my brothers, like Harry or Neville are to me. You won't date Lavender again, will you?"

Ron shivered at the thought. "Good Merlin, no. The girl is rather like a kappa: she wants to catch you, but doesn't have the sense to set a decent trap. Besides, she got a little too friendly with a couple guys after we broke up. I'd rather stay away from that, if you know what I mean."

"Yeah. I don't think I want to rush into anything, either," Hermione agreed fervently.

"So why were you with Malfoy, Hermione?" Ron said emotionlessly.

"We have a project we have to do together for Slughorn. Draco invited me to have dinner with him to discuss the project. Somehow, we segued into my relationship with you, and I ended up spilling the beans about the soulmate theory. I'm sorry about what happened at breakfast. I didn't mean for all that to come out in the hall."

"Good. I wouldn't like to think that you'd just been waiting to get away from me," Ron chuckled.

"I think Draco wants the two of us to get back together. I told him about what we talked about and he lectured me about how young we are and how there was no way we could know if we were meant to be at this age," Hermione smiled as she noticed that they had regained their usual banter.

"Maybe Malfoy has a point. we don't know that we aren't meant to be. If we are, I don't want to miss a minute with you, Hermione. No matter who else comes into my life, you'll always be number one, romance or not."

"Ron, we just decided to separate. Give it some time before you try to get us back together," Hermione said.

"No, I don't want to push anything right now. But, think about it, alright? How about this: if we haven't found a match by the time we're twenty-one, we'll get back together, and we'll know that we were meant to be together," Ron said, coming to kneel in front of Hermione.

"Why twenty-one, Ron?"

"Because you're a muggle, and you always said that seventeen just didn't fit how you saw the world. Besides, you'll be seventeen at the beginning of our seventh year. You'd bash my head in if I tried to get you to agree to such a short time period," Ron said, blushing.

"I do love you, Ron. I just don't know that I'm in love with you," Hermione said, kissing him softly.

As she walked away, Ron turned back to the pond.

"I know. Isn't that good enough?"

AN: Brenna/ ladykyo here.

I know that this is supposed to feature Draco and Hermione. I'm getting there. Patience is good for character-building. I promise the sex drugs n' rock-n-roll are coming. Just let me get the characters used to the idea, okay?

love much

B/ ladykyo


	6. Meanwhile, at Malfoy Manor

**On the Differences Between Soulmates and Lifemates**

disclaimer: Harry Potter and all characters therein belong to J.K. Rowling and are borrowed by the author. Any other, original characters belong to the author. Don't take them they'll run away and come back home to me.

**Chapter 6: Meanwhile, At Malfoy Manor**

Draco paid an unannounced visit to his ancestral home that Sunday morning. He assumed his mother would be expecting him. She always did, even when he went for weeks without visiting. She adored her only child, and she went to great lengths to let him know it without letting her husband know.

Narcissa Black Malfoy lived a life of fear. She feared the Dark Lord, she feared her husband, and she feared the loss of her darling boy. Draco often pitied his mother, and he wondered if the pity he felt for her meant that he loved her. His father had taught him that to love was to be weak.

To that end, Lucius Malfoy ruled his small family with an iron fist. He kept his wife under lock and key when he was away from the manor. The servants were beaten when they disobeyed, and the few maids were not maids when they left, by any stretch of the imagination. The servants paid no attention to anything other than the day-to-day running of the manor. Draco was raised by a series of stern governesses that were just focused on getting him into Hogwart's and out of their hair.

Draco used the Floo System to get to Malfoy Manor. His mother was sitting in her music room when Draco arrived. He exited the dusty fireplace and headed for her. Narcissa Malfoy's head popped up when she heard the familiar tread of her son's footsteps. She smiled for a moment before Lucius showed up, effectively ending what could have been a less than nasty situation.

"Ah, Draco, what a pleasure. You should have owled beforehand, to let us know you were coming. This is fortuitous, however, as we have quite the job for you. The very beginning of your service to our Lord," Lucius said in a cold voice.

Lucius led Draco to a chair and sat him down before telling him the details of his first assignment. Draco shuddered at the idea of beginning his servitude while his mother sat stone-still. As the details dragged on, Draco turned his thoughts back to Hogwart's and the project awaiting him and Hermione. He shut his eyes as Lucius finished his explanation.

Draco wasn't paying attention and Lucius had to repeat his name a few times before he came back to life.

"So sorry, father. My mind was elsewhere. I heard the details, and I will carry the mission out to the best of my abilities. May I leave now?" Draco said respectfully.

"Can't you stay for dinner, dear?" Narcissa said hopefully.

CRACK! "Narcissa, your constant coddling of the boy is the reason why we've had to wait so long to gain his service to the Lord!" Lucius spat as he smacked Narcissa across the face so hard her head snapped back.

"Mother!" Draco cried, catching her as she collapsed off of her stool.

"Draco, get back to Hogwart's this instant! Your mother will be taken care of." Lucius threw Draco bodily towards the nearest fireplace. Draco stumbled backwards, his body heavy as he saw that his mother didn't get up. Turning, he ran to the fireplace, tossing the floo powder in and yelling "Hogwart's!" as he reached it.

Draco came to in the sitting room in his prefect dorm. A cool washcloth was over his eyes, and a soft humming could be heard. He reached up and removed the washcloth, assuming Madam Pomfrey would be standing over him.

Instead, he saw Hermione's curly head bent over a potions text, a lock of hair locked in her mouth as she scribbled notes on a long piece of parchment. She didn't even seem to realize where she was or the fact that Draco was conscious.

"Ahem," Draco cleared his throat.

Hermione jumped. She turned to look at him and managed a sick smile. "Mornin', sunshine. What happened to you? I came in here to discuss potions with you, and I found you unconscious on the floor, half in the fireplace, half out."

"Did you forget that the potions project was a ruse to keep your friends from killing me and worrying about you?" Draco winced as he sat up. He must have hit the wall when Lucius threw him, because his entire body felt as if someone had played quidditch while using him as the bludger.

"Well, as a member of the Slug Club, which met as soon as I got back from the Burrow earlier, I can tell you that Slughorn will be assigning a project this week. Those of us in the Club were allowed to pick our partners, and I, in a moment of temporary insanity, chose you. Incidentally, you are invited to come to the next meeting. But that's beside the point. What happened to you? Should I go get Madam Pomfrey or the Headmaster for you?" Hermione would not be dissuaded.

"I had a lovely visit with my parents this morning. Daddy was just proving how much his loved me," Draco said viciously, rising to his feet. When he got there, however, he realized that he couldn't stay upright. "Bloody fuck!"

Hermione bolted out of her chair and over to Draco, catching and helping him to a chair. "Draco, it's late, and it wasn't too long ago that I found you. You must've been out cold for a long time. You need to be more careful. Here, I did have Dobby bring you some food from dinner. Eat something and then get yourself to bed."

"Fine. You can go now, Mudblood," Draco was hurt, and he took it out on Hermione.

"Don't call me that, Draco. Or I'll call you a snake. Now get some food in you and then I'll help you to your bed before I leave. Hurry up, its late," Hermione urged him.

Draco picked up a fork and looked at her. "Just how late is it, Hermione?"

"Oh, about 12:30, 1:00," she said quietly.

Draco paled again. "Bloody hell. You need to get out of here, before someone sees."

"Draco, we're prefects. No professor is going to come check on us. And Ron won't kill you. Everything's settled," Hermione laughed a little at the expression on his face. "Don't worry so much about your reputation."

Draco dragged himself out of the chair and pulled Hermione along with him. He pulled out his wand and opened the door, shoving her through.

"What's going on?" Hermione hissed, worried as she began to understand that what Draco was afraid of wouldn't be anything to do with Hogwart's.

"Later, Hermione. But for now, just go. I'll see you tomorrow, I promise," Draco said, squeezing her arm as he let her out of his room. He slammed the door behind her and charmed the locks, adding a silencing charm before he returned to the table and ate what his stomach would allow.

It wasn't long before Draco had another visitor.


	7. Draco's Visitor

**On the Differences Between Soulmates and Lifemates**

disclaimer: Harry Potter and all characters therein belong to J.K. Rowling and are borrowed by the author. Any other, original characters belong to the author. Don't take them they'll run away and come back home to me.

**Chapter 7: Draco's Visitor**

Draco had barely finished half the food on his plate when his fireplace burst into flame and the head of a very pissed off certain potions-turned-defense against the dark arts teacher appeared therein. Severus Snape had gotten the job of his dreams, but it hadn't softened him one bit. Draco pushed his plate back and got up to walk over to the fireplace when Snape pulled himself out and into the room.

"Sit down, Draco. We need to talk. You visited your family today, as we planned?" Snape got right to business.

"Yes," Draco replied, "I did, and it wasn't pretty. My first chore is an errand. He wants an object from Dumbledore's office. He doesn't care what, but said he'll know if it comes from anywhere else."

"Good. It would seem the Dark one hasn't changed a bit. Do you know your father had the same errand when he came into service?" Snape asked, eyeing Draco for any sign of weakness.

"No, I didn't. we don't often have father-son heart-to-hearts, you know?" Draco hissed. "Is the headmaster ready?"

"Yes. He's waiting for you. You're to go and physically pick something form his office. He mentioned that Voldemort may be able to discern if you actually picked the object up from the office, and that is why I didn't just bring you something. Come along, Draco. We can't wait around for you to sneak girls in and out all night," Snape almost laughed, and Draco saw why his mother had been so enamored of him: he truly cared about her, and Draco.

"Surely you jest, Professor. I'm a prefect of high standing. I would never do anythi"

"Like you wouldn't be caught dead with Granger, yet I saw you with her Thursday, Thursday night, Friday morning, and I saw her leave your rooms before I arrived. You're playing with fire, Draco. No one else knows you're a member of the Order," with that, Snape turned and led Draco from the room.

Draco didn't know what to say. He knew Hermione was a member of the Order, it was just logic that the quad would be involved; they were Dumbledore's pets, by and large, and Draco knew that at some point he would be obliged to work with them. But he also knew that Hermione would now be suspicious, and he had to come up with a way to keep her from finding out the truth, even if it meant playing the dark.

"Good luck trying to keep Granger's nose out this. She's just like you, you know, Draco. Stubborn, tough as nails, and damn loyal to her own. A little too like you, at times. You two were my very best potions students," Snape said as the two rounded corners and climbed stairs to get to Dumbledore's office.

"So why aren't you teaching Potions, anymore?" Draco asked.

"I've wanted to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts for a long time, Draco," Snape dodged the question. "Look, we're here. Lime crickets," he said to the door.

The door to the final stairway leading to the Headmaster's office was revealed through the doorway. Draco started up first, with Snape closing the door tightly and following the young man.

"You've grown so much since your mother birthed you. I was there, you know. Your father refused to be there. So I found the midwife and brought her to your mother. Narcissa was my best friend from the time we were wee children, Draco. She's always been number one in my life, even during my brief service to Voldemort. In fact, she's the reason Dumbledore was able to pull me back from the edge."

"Your soulmate," Draco said as they reached the inner sanctum, Dumbledore's office. Snape couldn't say anymore because Albus Dumbledore threw the door open wide for them, ushering the two in as if they were just stopping by for a cup of tea, not to grab an artifact of some sort in order to fool the most evil, dark wizard of all.

"Severus, Draco. Come in, we need to do this quickly," Dumbledore said as he ushered the two men into his office, closing the door firmly behind them. "Draco, I'll turn my back as you select an item from my office. It is important that you, and only you, touch the object. You must choose the item yourself, and not tell me. I'll find out soon enough, after you've left. I won't look for anything until you've taken the object back to your father. Good luck, my boy."

Snape also turned his back to Draco's choice. Draco chose quickly, knowing he had to be able to draw a blank when he delivered the object to Voldemort. Draco chose a small pillbox inlaid with mother-of-pearl, which he assumed had been a gift to the Headmaster. Instead of mentioning his choice, Draco let himself quietly out of the office, leaving Snape and Dumbledore to each other.

"He can do this, Severus. He has your strength, you know. And Narcissa raised him to be as strong as she could, and he's had you since he was an infant. Trust him, and trust yourself," Dumbledore said quietly, fixing his half-moon spectacles on his nose.

"I know, Albus, but he's barely more than a babe," Snape began, but Dumbledore cut him off.

"And he'll be seventeen on his next birthday. Get him through this, and worry about that later. I promise you, Severus, you will get a chance to make up for all the lost time. Have faith in the line," Dumbledore said, turning to the door that led to his living quarters, leaving Severus Snape alone with his thoughts.


	8. The Misunderstandings

**On the Differences Between Soulmates and Lifemates**

disclaimer: Harry Potter and all characters therein belong to J.K. Rowling and are borrowed by the author. Any other, original characters belong to the author. Don't take them they'll run away and come back home to me.

**Chapter 8: The Misunderstandings**

Draco's stomach was in knots. The entire week, he had kept Hermione and her questions at bay barely. He completely avoided her, not trusting himself to keep his secret if she pressed him. As a result, he spent most of the week in his room, save for classes, and he even had his meals sent to his room. His gut hurt every time she walked past him by the end of the week, because she was purposely averting her face from his, turning her attention to Potter and Weasley.

By Friday, Draco was ready to punch Potter every time Hermione laughed at one of his jokes, or spoke to him. Weasley was worse. Draco purposely picked a fight with him in Charms that unfortunately carried into their next class together: Defense Against the Dark Arts. Snape was not nearly as amused as Draco was.

Snape hissed at Malfoy as he arched his arm to send a Squeaking Hex at Ron, which would leave him in a high-pitched voice for the rest of the day. As a result, Malfoy missed, hitting Hermione with the hex, which prompted Harry to send a binding charm aimed at Malfoy's feet, which left him unable to balance when Ron punched him, leaving Draco to lurch in the general direction of Hermione when Neville caught him and set him down on his back.

"Enough!" Snape bellowed. "I have had enough of your inter-House squabbling! You will behave in this class if I have to bespell you to get you to do it! You will keep your girl squabbles outside of my classroom, do you hear me?"

Snape undid all the charms and hexes that had been bounced around before he spoke again. Hermione, Ron, Harry, Neville and Draco all stood to face Snape. Draco turned his face from Hermione's, but she grabbed his arm.

"Professor, we're sorry. I'll stay here to help clean up any messes left at the end of class. We were just carousing, and we do know that this is not the place for it. Please, sir, we understand, and this won't happen again," Hermione said quietly.

Ron turned to Hermione and shot her a 'what are you doing!' look before Draco spoke.

"I'll stay as well, since I am the only one of my House represented," Draco said quickly.

"Well, well, well, I see that you two just can't bear to be apart. So be it. Both of you will stay after class today to help clean up. And you'll each get a week of detention, starting Saturday night," Snape sneered as he turned his back on the lot of them. "And Potter," he tossed back, "You lot will have detention starting the week after."

Everyone sat down and waited out the rest of the class. It was a lot of things that they had already done in previous classes, but to Snape's way of thinking, they hadn't done with him, they might as well not done it at all.

"One last thing before you go today, students," Snape said as everyone was gathering books and bags to get to another class or meal, "I will be re-instating the art of dueling in this class. You will never learn how to defend yourselves if you are not made to do so. This coming week, I will be teaching you attack magic, not all of it necessarily on the right side of wrong. I have procured licenses so that you may practice in class, but anyone who needs to practice outside this room will have to come to me on a case-by-case basis. Am I understood?"

Each head nodded, and Harry paled. He nudged Hermione before he left, and Ron bent down and whispered something to her as he joined his friend. Neville clasped Hermione's shoulder and gave her a light peck on the cheek before Snape scared him half to death by clamping a hand on each of his shoulders.

"Eek! Bye, 'Mione!" Neville squeaked as he ran away from Snape. He slammed the door shut behind himself, and Draco was left with his mentor and his former archrival.

"I assume there is another reason why the two of you felt the need to take up my time by 'helping' me clean? Or are you just trying to get some time alone?" Snape sat on a desk and regarded his two best students.

"Professor, I " Hermione began, but Snape cut her off.

"I appreciate your newfound, ahem, 'friendship', but it had better not disrupt a class of mine again, Granger," Snape said coldly.

"But, Professor," Hermione said, "There is no relationship and no application to the situation thereof."

"Oh, get off it, Granger. Don't lie to me. Malfoy, here, picked a fight with Weasley because they are engaged in some sort of pissing contest with you as the prize. Isn't that right, Draco?"

"Professor, I think you read too much into the situation," Draco said evenly. "Granger and I have a project for your Potions replacement, that is all. And I certainly never would get into a pissing contest with Weasley over her."

"Good. I'll leave you too it then. See you Saturday, sundown, my office. After we cheer at Draco's game, of course, right Hermione?" Snape left them to each other.

"Because I'd win," Draco smirked. Hermione glared at him. "Well, it wouldn't be fair to Weasley. You know I'd win, without a doubt. Come on, smile. And get Longbottom to stop calling you ''Mione'. It's undignified."

"After how you treated me this week, you expect me to be nice to you? I'm not going to your game, Malfoy, and I don't even have to talk to you while we clean or during detention," Hermione seethed. He had really hurt her this past week, and he certainly didn't appreciate how he had Snape had been teasing her.

"Whatever, 'Mione."

"Don't call me that."

"Why? Neville does, Weasel and Potty call you that, too."

"They love me. They are my friends, and they care for me."

"And who says I don't?"

"Who says you do?"

"We can do this all night."

"I know. But you'll give up first."

"Ron and Harry will come looking for you. You'll end up asleep next to me. What will they think?"

"That you bespelled me, and tried to take advantage of me."

"If you continue to lead Neville on like that, you'll hurt him, and Lovegood for that matter. Besides, I like calling you 'Mione."

"What?" Hermione said as Draco kissed her, softly.

"I give up."

It didn't occur to Hermione until much later that night that she had been right: Draco had given up first, by kissing her. It was the second time he'd done that, and it was confusing her. She had been in bed, but she threw the covers back and climbed out of bed, her feet touching the thickly carpeted floor as she walked to her big window.

Hermione contemplated the events that had led up to all this at Hogwart's. Her studious nature accorded her the honor of prefect, and could possibly lead to becoming Head Girl. Her bravery had led to becoming a member of the Order of the Phoenix with her best friends. Her friendship with Ron had blossomed into a romance.

Which fizzled because of the friendship.

And then there was Draco. Admittedly, the first time she'd seen him, she'd developed an instant crush, which was quickly quashed by his views on muggle-borns. They became rivals everywhere they met: the classroom, the hallways, and she'd even punched him during their third year. After that, he'd pretty much left her alone, not teasing her anymore or less than he did Ron and Harry.

She remembered the quidditch pitch, watching Harry's first game, then she had been there when Draco had become the Slytherin Seeker; she remembered both Ron and Ginny's first games and the parties thereafter every time they won. Soon, Hermione was reliving her memories out loud.

"Oh, but you never did get me on the back of your broom, did you, Ron?" Hermione laughed sadly.

"Would you be willing to join me on mine, Hermione?" Draco said behind her. He was dressed in splendid green and silver nightclothes, and Hermione felt that same hitch from six years ago.

"I'm not dressed for it, Draco," Hermione said softly, not caring how he'd gotten into her room. She looked down at her own nightclothes, silky boxer shorts and an oversized FullMetal Alchemist t-shirt.

"Sometime, my dear, you will have to explain this 'anime' you watch. Don't muggles know that alchemy is second best to real magic?" Draco said as he came closer.

"Don't you know that you're pureblooded, and that you're not supposed to want to be around me?"

"I guess I'm as foolish as the muggles, then. Come with me, Hermione, and fly with me. I'll keep you warm, I promise," Draco said as he took Hermione's hand and led her to the window, which he opened with a flick of his wand. Hermione watched as Draco levered himself onto the sill. "Come on, climb up. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise."

Hermione climbed up on the sill next to Draco and he dropped his broom so it hovered just below them. He straddled it and placed his hands on Hermione's slim waist and plucked her from the sill, propping her in front of him on the broom. He wrapped her fingers around the handle and kept his hands over hers as they took off.

Draco let Hermione steer for a while, concentrating on keeping them balanced. Hermione was shivering from cold and he wrapped his arms around her.

"I just want to ride now, Draco," Hermione said sleepily. Draco squeezed her tighter before putting his hands back down on the handle of the broom to guide it around the dormitories and over the quidditch pitch, swinging wide over the lake and the herbology gardens before bringing Hermione back to her window.

Draco helped Hermione back into her room through the window before climbing inside himself.

He stood facing her, smiling for a moment before he spoke.

"Last time I kissed you, you liked it. The time before that, you bit me. Which will it be this time?" Draco said softly, leaning close to her so she could feel his breath on her cheek.

"You'll have to find out," Hermione said dreamily. Draco kissed her softly and lifted her back into her bed.

The next morning, Hermione awoke in a wonderful mood, unable to distinguish if the night before had been a dream.

Draco let himself out of Hermione's rooms quietly, not wanting to disturb her. He looked both ways before starting the trip back to his own rooms. He was three doors down from his room when he heard someone behind him.

"What were you doing in Hermione's room at this hour, Malfoy?" Ron Weasley said coldly.

"What do you care, Weasley? You broke up with her, remember? You told her that you were too close as soulmates, and that being soulmates precluded romance. So what do you think I'm doing?" Draco said, smirking. He loved to smirk, especially at Weasley.

"I wanted to see how she really felt about me, about our relationship. She just needs some time to realize what we have. She'll never go with you, Malfoy. Hermione and I are meant to be. I know that, she knows that, everyone around us knows that you are the only one who doesn't seem to see it," Ron said as he laughed acidly. "She'll take her time, but it's me she'll be with."

"I won't turn this into a competition over her. Right now, she interests and excites me, but I won't jeopardize things by competing with you. It's late, and you aren't thinking straight. If she hears you, you'll never get another chance," Draco groaned inwardly. He was never so compassionate; Hermione was already a bad influence on him.

"It isn't a competition, Malfoy. I'm just giving you a friendly warning. Now get to your rooms before I report you for visiting a female prefect late at night," Ron growled. Malfoy sighed in disgust and entered his rooms, his stomach back in its familiar knots.

The next morning, Draco wiped bleary eyes as he rolled out of his bed. Having not slept, he was exhausted as he lumbered into his shower and blasted himself with icy water in hopes of waking himself up. It didn't help. He pulled on black trousers and a black cashmere sweater before topping the outfit off with his robes and prefect badge.

Draco decided not to go down to the Great Hall for breakfast; instead, he had Dobby bring a tray up. Draco ate silently as he thought about his weekend. He had a quidditch game against Gryffindor this AN: Saturday afternoon, followed by detention with Snape and Hermione for the evening. He glanced at his clock and hoped the game went by quickly so he could get some food between the game and the detention. As for Sunday, he had to go home for a meeting with his father and the Lord.

After eating his rather large breakfast, Draco settled into his desk chair and worked on his homework, because he wouldn't have time to do it the rest of the weekend. He was bent over an ancient text for his charms class when

POP!

"Well, good to know I could do that. I managed to break the anti-apparation charm so I can apparate from place to place within the school grounds," Hermione said after she appeared in Draco's rooms.

"You could be expelled for that!" Draco exclaimed, jumping out of his chair to check Hermione over. "And apparating under age? What has gotten into you, Hermione?"

"What, because I broke a rule? Dumbledore knows, Draco. I've been practicing for ages with him and McGonagall. We all figured it would be a good test of my abilities. Are you aware that the Auror exam is biased against women? I need all the time I can manage to practice things like apparation," Hermione said, pacing the floor.

"So why apparate into my rooms, not Ron's or into Harry's room?"

"Because they would assume that I'm cheating by practicing more. You, on the other hand, have been in the position to have to practice more just to pass the bar," Hermione said, sitting down while Draco paced.

"How would you know about that?"

"I used to watch you on the quidditch pitch when you were first playing quidditch. You really played quite poorly at first, didn't you?"

Draco felt his face redden, and he turned an angry face to Hermione. "You don't know anything. I hated watching quidditch when I was young, and I hated playing it when I came to Hogwart's. But there's no saying no to my father, so I ended up Seeker for Slytherin House team, simply because I was the smallest on the team."

"I'm sorry, Draco. Harry and the Weasleys are always playing. I assumed it was something all wizard boys learned and loved from the cradle. It never occurred to me that you didn't enjoy the game. And the position of Seeker is so popular and " Hermione spoke, but Draco cut her off.

" And the most dangerous position. Do you know how many hours I've spent in the hospital wing, after getting a beating from those damn bludgers? The Seeker is the most hated position by the opposing team. Every hit is aimed at the Seeker. And depending on the referee, almost every player can physically attack the Seeker. I wasn't out there because I loved the game, I was out there because I loathed it," Draco seethed, halting his pacing while he vented to Hermione.

"I'm sorry. I'd fix it for you if I could. But at least we're almost done here, and then you'll never have to play again, save to teach your children to play," Hermione said, trying to lighten the mood.

Draco laughed bitterly. "Children. You're a laugh riot, you know that? No wonder Weasley's still in love with you."

Hermione stiffened. "He's not. I've got to go. I'm supposed to meet Snape so we can root for you at the game, and I need to get some studying done beforehand."

"You don't have to root for me if you don't want to. I'm playing against Harry and Gryffindor today."

"I know. But I want to. You may not like the game, but you play like you do," Hermione got up and walked out of Draco's rooms, not caring who saw her leave.

The game was abysmal. It rained and thundered, but neither team would call the game. Ron had been beaned early on and was seeing double, so fully half of all the Slytherin shots made goal. Ginny had gotten miffed by something Dean had said and had fouled both teams multiple times, so she had been kicked off the field for the day. Harry and Katie were the only ones who could play by the second half of the game.

The Slytherins weren't doing much better. Crabbe and Goyle, who had gotten into the tussle that had gotten Ginny kicked off the field, were also kicked off. The Slytherin keeper was a poor flyer, and one of the chasers was flying strangely because his broom had been zapped by a thunderbolt.

It came down to Harry, Draco and the Snitch, and Hermione was riveted to the game. Snape was sitting next to her, dividing his attention between the game and her reactions. Finally, Draco caught sight of the Snitch through the rain, and Hermione was on her feet, screaming for him to catch 'that bloody golden pisser!', as she put it. She was screaming her support, and Draco managed to shake himself into action before Harry, ending the game and winning it for Slytherin, their first victory of the year.

Draco searched for Hermione after the game, but was informed that she had joined her housemates in the Gryffindor locker room. He resigned to wait for her until she came out, but after half an hour, he left a message for her with one of the Gryffindor groupies waiting for Ron.

Inside the locker room, Hermione was busy explaining her actions to Harry, Ginny, and Ron. They were having none of it.

"Hermione, if you would just come clean to us about what is going on, we wouldn't be so upset. But you won't tell us what you're doing," Harry said as he rubbed a salve into his bruised shoulders. Ron was lying on a bench with his eyes closed, and Ginny was toweling her hair dry.

"You need to get away from Draco, Hermione. You're a Gryffindor, and you need to stick with us. Slytherins are always back-stabbing one another; Malfoy is no different," Ginny said as she plaited her red hair into a thick braid.

"He's after you, Hermione. He's using you, somehow. I'm worried for you. He said something last night, and I think you should know. He just views this as a competition. You're not the prize, but hurting Harry and me is. Malfoy's using you," Ron reiterated, silently berating himself for lying to her.

"We're chummy now because we're working together, nothing more, nothing less. I'm not stupid I know Draco is a womanizer and that he cares only for himself. I am not about to get involved with him. Besides, I'm a muggle-born, and he's a pureblood. Nothing will happen," Hermione said, inwardly groaning. She was lying to her best friends again, and soon they'd figure it all out. "Now, before I go to detention, is there anything else?"

"'Mione, would you help Ron? I can get Harry settled, but I think Ron needs a levitation charm to get to bed. I'm not too good at those, so if you would?" Ginny asked innocently. Ron was already starting to doze off again, and Hermione nodded. "Thanks."

"Amicus levioso," Hermione said, flicking her wand in Ron's' direction after Ginny and Harry had left. She held her wand steady as she opened doors on her way up to dropping Ron off in his rooms. Luckily, Ron's rooms were near a stairwell, and Hermione could settle him in without seeing Draco. Hermione poked her head into the prefects' common room before taking Ron to his own rooms. AN: a stairwell each leads to the prefects' common room, the girls' side and the boys' side. In the circular common room, one door leads to the stairwell, one to the girls' hall, and the other to the boys' hall. There are no safeguards like the ones in the different Houses to separate the boys from the girls and anyways, by the time they're prefects, wouldn't the guys be able to override the safeguards?

Once inside Ron's rooms, Hermione started a fire in the fireplace and levitated Ron into a comfy chair near the fire. She set about getting food from the house-elves before she woke Ron with a simple awakening charm.

Ron's eyelids fluttered, and he smiled at Hermione when he spoke. "Ah, an angel is nursing me. And just the angel I wanted to talk with, too."

"Ron, you were injured in the game earlier. No talking, for now. I've sent for a meal, and I'll get you settled before I go for detention. Let me grab some blankets and you can nap out here. I'll leave the door open, so yell if you need me," Hermione said as she trotted to the bedroom to grab the blankets.

"Hermione, I want you back. It's been bad without you. I'm lonely all the time, even with all our friends around. I miss talking with you after we've made love. Let's try this again, shall we?" Ron said loudly, so she could hear him in the bedroom.

"It's no that I don't want to, Ron, but you were the one who wanted to take a break at first," Hermione answered just as loudly. "If you want another chance, you're going to have to try a bit harder. No more of the 'you're a girl, I'm a boy' approach, alright?"

Ron smiled as he closed his eyes, waiting for Hermione to bring the blankets. He opened his eyes when he heard her reappear. "Finally. It really was hell without you, you know? My 'Mione, back where she belongs. Now, the game ended early, so how about you have a late lunch with me and sit by the fire with me until you have to leave for detention?"

"Alright. But no hanky-panky you are injured," Hermione laughed as she sat down next to Ron in a hastily transfigured loveseat and pulled the blankets over them.

Ron threw his arm around Hermione's shoulders and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "But I won't be so injured when you get back tonight, now will I?"

Hermione laughed, and when the house-elf came with the food, she and Ron happily fed each other, relishing their renewed connection. Hermione only thought about Draco for a second, but then she remembered what Ron had said, and she banished the thought. She was tired, and having set an alarm for ten minutes before her detention, Hermione snuggled into Ron's chest for a nap.

When her alarm went off, Hermione roused herself just enough to grab her shoes, wand and robes before letting herself out of Ron's rooms. She ran in her disheveled state to the prefect's bathroom to freshen up for her detention without ever noticing that someone saw her.

Forty-five minutes before the assigned detention time, Draco roused himself from a much-needed nap so he could shower and eat before he surprised Hermione to escort her to their detention. He showered in his private bathroom and put on his outfit from earlier, still soft and eminently irresistible in his estimation. He ate a sandwich he had brought with him from the Great Hall earlier, after the Slytherin victory party. Checking himself in a mirror, Draco was poised to head out his door when he decided to conjure up some yellow roses to give Hermione. His mother had always taught him to bring a lady flowers, and Hermione's status in regards to his standards had jumped recently.

Roses in hand, Draco donned his robes and headed for the girls' side of the prefects' dorm.

Having only taken twenty minutes to shower, dress, eat, conjure roses out of thin air, and arrive at Hermione's door, Draco arrived there thinking he might get a chance to speak with Hermione and apologize for that morning. She really did understand the drive to be better and even stretch boundaries and one's own limits to be better, and he felt a cad for dismissing her earlier.

Draco knocked three times precisely and then waited five minutes. AN: 20 minutes to detention He knocked again, three time, and waited for five more minutes. This time, he put his ear to the door and heard music. He was thankful for the deserted hallway, but he was anxious all the same; most prefects looked the other way, but if a teacher happened by AN: 15 minutes to detention Draco knocked three more times, and decided to go inside and see if she was awake or even there, if she didn't come to her door within five mitnutes. AN: aren't we all glad that there are so many deserted halls at Hogwart's? btw 10 minutes to detention

Finally, Draco charmed Hermione's door open, and he saw her room was empty. She had left her muggle music player on, that was the noise he'd heard. He cursed himself for not checking with her earlier, to see if she wanted to go down to Snape's office together. He looked at the roses in his hand and decided to carry them along, and perhaps give them to Hermione after detention or maybe in front of Snape. That would be funny.

Draco walked back through the common room, which only had a few people studying in it. He headed to the boys' side, so he could see if Hermione had left him a message, but when he stepped through and closed the door, he paled at what he saw.

Draco was in shadow, due to the odd order the torches had been place in, but he could clearly see the figure of Hermione popping her disheveled head out of Ron's rooms, checking to see if anyone was there, before she ran on tiptoes from his room to the prefects' bathroom. She was carrying her robes and shoes, and the sight made Draco sick to his stomach.

"Bloody fuck," Draco said to no-one as he saw tears of his own pooling on the floor. He looked at the flowers in his hand and laughed bitterly at himself. "The girl's a slag, Malfoy, and she's worked whore's magic on you, to boot."

Malfoy looked at the roses, and they burst into flame. He dropped them and fell on his arse in astonishment.

"I can do wandless magic?"


	9. Detention with Malfoy and Granger

**On the Differences Between Soulmates and Lifemates**

disclaimer: Harry Potter and all characters therein belong to J.K. Rowling and are borrowed by the author. Any other, original characters belong to the author. Don't take them they'll run away and come back home to me.

**Chapter 9: Detention with Malfoy and Granger**

Hermione was groggy after waking from her nap, and could have slept longer. She washed her face in the prefects' bathroom and laughed at herself. She had just separated from Ron, and now she was going to give him a chance to win her back.

"You are full of contradictions, aren't you, 'Mione, girl?" Hermione asked her reflection as she brushed her hair out of her eyes. She had been applying a straightening tonic to it ever since fourth year, when she had first used it for the Yule Ball. Daydreaming, Hermione wondered if Hogwart's would ever host another formal before she left the school. Like any other girl, Hermione enjoyed dressing up, so long as she didn't have to do it all the time.

"Ah, but who would you go with?" Hermione said offhandedly. She thought about Ron, but she knew what it would lead to. Neville would think more of it, and Luna would be hurt. Harry would undoubtedly go with Ginny. And Draco would run off any other prospective suitors, but probably wouldn't go with her himself.

Hermione pushed all those thoughts out of her mind as she realized how late it was, and that she would soon be late to her detention with Snape. Part of her wished that he was still the Potions master, so that all he could do would be make her and Draco clean cauldrons and bottles. Now that he taught Defense Against the Dark Arts, there was no telling what Snape would make them do. Hermione shoved her feet into her shoes, threw her robes over her shoulders and ran out the door and down to Snape's new classroom.

Hermione arrived at the classroom at the same time Draco did, but he didn't acknowledge her presence other than to open the door for her. He didn't speak to her, and Hermione could swear his eyes were red from crying. She opened her mouth to say something, but Snape called them into the room before she could manage anything.

"Granger, Malfoy, get in here. I've things to do, so I need to explain your tasks and then I need to leave. Come in and shut the door," Snape hissed. He motioned them in, and Draco closed the door behind them.

Draco was silent, but Hermione opened her mouth. "What are we doing tonight, Professor? Will you be back, or are we to lock up and leave when we are finished?"

"Someone has broken into the cabinet where I had all of the dueling licenses. I don't think that any of the licenses are gone, but I need you two to go through these piles of licenses and organize them alphabetically by class period and year. Check each license against each class roster, and make a list of any licenses that seem to be missing. We can't start the main core curriculum until all these licenses are found and accounted for. I am trusting you two to keep this to yourselves. There are no other students I would entrust this task to. It should go without saying that you are not to speak of this to anyone else," Snape said, looking both students in the eye.

"Of course, Professor. Would you like us to make any discreet inquiries among the school body?" Hermione offered.

"We understand, sir. We'll keep this to ourselves, and we'll help you get to the bottom of this," Draco said, his first words since outside the classroom.

"Very well. This may take a few nights. I apologize, but this is why you two have detention. I couldn't think of another way to do this that wouldn't arouse suspicion. Work on this for three hours, then you may leave. I must go now, I have a meeting with McGonagall and Dumbledore to discuss the situation. I'll see you tomorrow at the same time," Snape said as he turned on his heel and left.

Hermione looked at the immense piles of licenses and class rosters on Snape's desk and two tables he had laid out so they could have space to work. They would have to work for two and a half hours, then use the last half-hour to clean up and put things away so that the event would be kept under wraps.

First, Hermione lit all the torches, candles, and lamps in the room, to give them enough light to work easily. Then, she picked up the class rosters and set them on different desks, so they would be easier to collate. As Snape was the only Defense Against the Dark Arts available a Hogwart's due to the significantly shorter life expectancy and sanity expectancy rate that went along with the position he had virtually ever student in the school in his classes. The classes were huge: there were literally hundreds of students and licenses that Hermione and Draco would have to sort through.

Finally, Hermione turned with a smile to Draco. "Where should we get started? Should we try to divide the work, or should we work together, you know, two sets of eyes are better than one, right?" she tried to laugh, but Draco's signature smirk was nowhere to be seen; instead, he wore a dark scowl that Hermione knew was directed at her and not their task. "What?"

"Nothing. I'm just surprised that you can even stand. You must be quite tired; it was a long afternoon," Draco said icily.

"Well, it was nasty out there, but you were the one playing. You did quite well. Did you hear me cheering you on?" Hermione said, not understanding what was wrong.

"Of course I heard you cheer me on. But I didn't get the standing ovation Weasley did, did I? Or should I call it a horizontal ovation?" Draco hissed, grabbing Hermione's wrists.

"Let go of me! What are you talking about?" Hermione said, pulling away from Draco, trying to break his grip on her wrists. She wriggled and pulled, but his grip was like iron.

"You said that you two were separated. You said that you weren't together, and that you wouldn't be getting back together. You weren't going to sleep with him. But when I went to your rooms to collect you and escort you down here, to thank you for being at the game, when it was so abysmal out, you weren't there. You left your music player on, but you were in his rooms. I saw you leave his rooms and run for the prefects' bathroom. What game are you playing, Hermione?" Draco said sadly, rearranging his grip on Hermione's wrists, placing both of her wrists in one of his hands so he could reach into his robe.

"What are you doing, Draco? I wasn't doing anything with Ron! And what do you care? You and I aren't together! Please, just let me go, and we'll talk about this, but whatever you're reaching for, just think first," Hermione pleaded, and Draco's eyes softened.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Hermione. I wanted to show you what I was bringing you earlier. If I let you go, will you give me your hand?" Draco asked, and Hermione nodded, still anxious.

Draco pulled out the yellow roses, somewhat worse for the wear and slightly singed since he had partially burned them. He held Hermione's hand in one of his and held the roses out to her with the other. Hermione looked at Draco before she reached for the roses. When her hand started to close around the bouquet, Draco shifted it suddenly and nicked her hand with the thorns.

"Ow! Why'd you do that, Draco?" Hermione asked, bringing her hand up to her mouth to suck on the tiny wounds.

Draco pulled her wounded hand from her mouth to his own. He gently suckled at the wounds as he closed his eyes. Hermione felt a shiver begin in the pit of her stomach as he tongued the tiny tears in her skin. The bleeding ebbed, and Draco moved his tongue to Hermione's palm. He licked her palm and scraped his teeth along the fleshy pads before he placed a gentle kiss into her palm.

Draco dragged his gaze up to Hermione's, and the look in his eyes broke her heart. She slipped her hands from his and cradled his face in them, bringing his mouth down to hers. Her mouth was soft on his, and she opened her mouth and swiped her tongue over his lips, waiting for him to allow her entrance to his mouth. She pushed her way into his mouth, and sucked on his tongue, wrestling and nibbling until he was as breathless as she was.

Hermione pulled back from the kiss, and her lips were red and swollen. Draco's eyes were a stormy silver-grey, his lips were parted, and he was breathing heavily. Hermione blushed at the effect she was having on him.

"I hurt you because you hurt me, Hermione. But those pricks from the roses are nothing compared to how I felt earlier. Are you going to lie to me again, or will you tell me what's going on?" Draco said heavily.

"Fine. But then you have to tell me why this matters," Hermione said, and Draco nodded.

"I was in Ron's rooms because I had to help him get back after the game. He couldn't walk, and I had to levitate him there. We ate, talked, and feel asleep in front of the fire in his sitting room. That's all. Nothing happened," Hermione said, waiting for Draco to speak.

"What did you two talk about?" Draco asked.

"No. You first. Why do you care?"

"Because I care for you. I noticed you on the platform at the beginning of our first year, but when I found out about your birth status, you were off-limits. I cursed our origins, especially as you showed how intelligent you were, how brave and loyal; and now, you are so damn beautiful. To me, you are perfect. And you deserve to know that. Is Weasley ever going to realize how lucky he's been? Would he ever be able to give you what I can? He couldn't even get you on the back of his broom, because you couldn't trust him. But you know you can trust me," Draco said, reaching for Hermione's hand again. His face smiled, but in his heart he hated the lie: he wasn't telling her everything, and she'd find out sooner or later. "Now, what did you two discuss?"

"He wants to get back together. I told him that he would have to woo me all over again, and that the things that he used to get us together before won't work again. I'm supposed to meet him again tonight, after we finish our detention," Hermione said.

"No. You gave him the afternoon, I get this evening. The bastard's gone and turned this into a competition after I specifically told him not to!" Draco roared.

"What are you talking about? Ron said that you were the one who wanted to turn this into nothing more than a competition between the two of you," Hermione said suspiciously.

"Of course he said that. If you don't believe me, we'll wait for Snape, and he can give me veritaserum if you like," Draco offered as he paced the classroom.

"I believe you, Draco," Hermione said softly.

"Fine, then we'll just have to get out the damn veritaserum. I'll take it and you can ask me anything you like what? You believe me? Just like that? Why? Ron's been your friend for ages, and you were in love with him," Draco asked, rushing headlong into the conversation.

Hermione laughed. "I believe you because I know Ron. He can't stand the idea of you having something he sees as his own. I have to tell Ron that I won't see him tonight. I'm not settling down immediately. You and he and anyone else interested can try to woo me. Only my heart will tell."

"Fine. Let's get through this, and then I'll head to my rooms to get dinner ready while you freshen up and tell Ron where to go."

"I won't do that, Draco. But I will come have dinner with you tonight. Now let's get through this first batch before our time is up."

"Just one more kiss, to fortify me through this awful event?"

"No. Later, I promise."

Draco launched himself at Hermione, tackling her with a kiss. "Sorry, couldn't wait. But there's more where that came from."


	10. Another Late Night With Malfoy

**On the Differences Between Soulmates and Lifemates**

disclaimer: Harry Potter and all characters therein belong to J.K. Rowling and are borrowed by the author. Any other, original characters belong to the author. Don't take them they'll run away and come back home to me.

**Chapter 10: Another Late Night with Malfoy**

The three hour detention flew by with Hermione and Draco working together. Hermione had organized the licenses into alphabetical order, then by year, and finally Draco read names off of the class rosters so they could be collated. Half an hour before the detention was supposed to end, Hermione started putting things away, while Draco rearranged the desks and tables they had been using.

After everything was fixed up, Hermione and Draco shared a look. Hermione looked at the job they had done before she spoke.

"I think that we should still try to help Snape figure out who rummaged through the licenses. We can still be discreet, but I suggest that we just listen to what people have to say. We won't make any of our own inquiries. But we can use our ears," Hermione suggested, but Draco was advancing on her, smirking.

"I don't want to hear you talking about another man when you're with me. And we will not do anything until after we've spoken with Snape himself. Now, you need to go tell Ron that you're spending the evening with me. I will go make our arrangements. Go take care of that, and put something nice on," Draco kissed Hermione's cheek as he gave her a pat on the bottom towards the door.

Hermione smiled at Draco as she left the room. Draco followed and locked the door behind himself. Hermione scampered off ahead of Draco to the prefects' dorms as Draco watched with a smile.

He jumped when a hand touched his shoulder, and Draco turned to face the owner of said hand.

"Professor!" Draco whispered, startled by Snape's arrival.

"Don't worry, Draco. I'm not here to check on you or your progress. My meeting ended sooner than I had expected and as such, I came back early. I actually thought that you two would have left or killed each other by now. But in fact, you do seem rather content," Snape smiled slightly, and barely caught himself when he tried to ruffle Draco's longish platinum hair.

"Hermione wants to help in your investigation. I told her we would have to talk to you first. She wants to just listen to people, but I know her, and she won't be happy without making inquiries, and she's about as discreet as a hippogriff with a sore beak," Draco laughed at the image he had created with his words.

"The three of us will talk tomorrow. Have you made much headway with the licenses?"

"Yes. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an engagement."

And with that, Draco left his favorite professor speechless in front of his own classroom. Snape smiled and opened his classroom door so he could evaluate his situation.

Hermione raced up the stairs to Ron's rooms. She knocked once, and Ron appeared in the doorway, clad in his pajama bottoms and nothing else. Hermione smiled, but didn't enter the room.

"What's going on, Hermione? Why won't you come in?" Ron asked, crossing his arms over his rather broad chest. Hermione noted that he had scars from all the battles fought alongside her and Harry the past five and a half years. She smiled as she spoke.

"I spent the afternoon with you, and someone has requested my company for the evening. I'll see you tomorrow," Hermione said as she turned to head for her own rooms.

Ron grabbed Hermione's arm before she could leave. "Who asked for your company? I thought we were getting back together."

"I said that you could try to win me back. You are the one who turned this into a competition, but now I'm naming the players. If a boy wants to ask me out, he can, and I'll decide if I want to spend time with him. So tonight, I am spending the evening with Draco."

"Malfoy? What's wrong with you, Hermione? Stop this farce. You and I belong together. Malfoy sees you as a diversion."

"I'll decide that. Now, if you want a chance with me, to prove that we belong together, you'll let me go, and you'll let me make my own decisions."

Ron leaned down and kissed Hermione hard. "Fine. Check."

Hermione left without looking back. "Checkmate."

Ron slammed his door shut, muttering to himself.

"Never should've taught the girl wizard's chess."

Hermione took her time picking out her outfit and showering, figuring that Draco needed time to plan whatever it was he was planning. She lathered her hair thickly, and she luxuriated in the feeling of cleanliness as she rinsed herself off. Even though the license task was not an outdoor task or even very dusty, paperwork had it's own peculiar feeling of un-cleanliness that Hermione was happy to be rid of.

Hermione shrugged into a sky-blue robe so she could dry her hair without messing up her outfit for the evening. She applied heavy gold and brown eye-shadow and some coffee-colored lip-gloss. She brushed her hair out of her face, smoothing it back with more straightening tonic. She managed to smooth her hair into smooth waves, but she knew that by the end of the evening, it would kink into crazy corkscrews, an interesting after-effect of the straightening tonic.

Hermione walked into her bedroom and picked up the outfit she had picked out. She slipped thigh-high patterned fishnet stockings, securing them in a garter belt she had gotten in London on a trip with Ginny. She had always been too embarrassed to wear them for Ron, but she decided that it was now or never for them. Next came matching black panties and a black skirt that came to just above her knees. A black bra went under a midnight-blue three-quarter sleeve cashmere sweater. She figured the color of the sweater would drive Draco mad.

The coup-de-grace was a pair of knee-high boots, with a three and a half-inch heel. With the boots, Hermione was barely an inch shorter than Draco. The boots, more than anything else, gave Hermione the confidence boost to hold her head high as she made her way to Draco's rooms. She took the route through the common room, not caring who saw her. A few girls were talking in the common room, but they didn't pay Hermione any attention. She slipped into the boys' hall and took a deep breath as she made her way the short distance to Draco's door. Standing before the heavy walnut door, Hermione gave her sweater and skirt each a tug into place before she knocked.

Draco opened the door and Hermione's breath caught. He stood before her in splendid silver and black magnificence. His hair was held back from his face in a half braid, and Hermione realized just how long it really was; it his hair had been unbound, it would sweep just below his shoulders. Hermione had preferred Ron's hair just to touch his shoulders, thinking that hair any longer would look womanish on a boy. As she surveyed Draco, Hermione realized how wrong she had been, and that it made him more a man than any short haircut ever could. She smiled nervously as Draco scraped a bow and gave her entrance to his rooms.

Hermione gaped at the scene that awaited her in Draco's sitting room. The furnace was lit, but nothing else had been done to the room. She began to become suspicious when Draco slipped his arm around her waist and dropped a kiss on her cheek.

"You smell wonderful, Hermione. I like the boots. They are very you, even though the fishnet-boot combination is a very-un-Hermione combination," Draco said as he held her. He placed his nose near her ear and tickled her with his hot breath. Hermione shivered as he teased a most sensitive part of her anatomy.

"Well, perhaps the old Hermione wouldn't wear them together, but then again, the old Hermione would be with Ron right now, wouldn't she?" Hermione sighed as Draco led her to the fireplace and reached up for a bag of floo powder.

"Yes, and the old Hermione never would have broken an anti-apparation charm just so she could practice, either," Draco smirked. Merlin, how Hermione had grown to adore that smirk over the long years. It was a wonder to her that the smirk could be so warm when it was directed at her now.

"I think I lo really like being with now, Draco. You've changed as much as I have over these years," Hermione turned her face from his gaze as she blushed. She'd almost said she loved him, and that would be sure to scare him off. Besides, she didn't even know if she loved him yet. "So, what are we doing tonight, loverboy?"

"I'm taking you somewhere very special and nice. It is called the Heir's Cottage. My mother had it commissioned for me when I turned fifteen, in hopes I would live there when I first married. I had been engaged at the time, but my mother hated the damn girl," Draco said, turning to stoke the flames. He had been sure Hermione was going to tell him that she loved him what had stopped her? He might even love her, too, but he didn't want to say the words first, in case she didn't care for him, after all.

"Oh, and I'll be one in a long line of girls who've been robbed of their virtue there?" Hermione said, smiling. She walked towards Draco and the fire.

Draco glared at her. "I've never taken anyone there. It is a place for affection, love, making love. Not for some passing fancy," Draco said, inwardly smiling. well, now she knows I care, and I didn't even need those three little buggers of words. Hopefully Draco thought to himself.

Hermione's heart softened, and for the first time in her life, she felt the unexpected rush not just in her stomach, but in her heart. Her breathing quickened and her chest felt tight, but she also felt safe. She leaned into Draco and gave him the lightest, most chaste kiss she could manage. "Thank you. It means a lot to me," Hermione breathed, trying to ease the beautiful ache in her chest.

Draco wrapped his arms around Hermione, threw the floo powder into the flames, and jumped them in after it, shouting, "Heir's Cottage!"

Shortly, Hermione and Draco were standing in the main room of the small house called Heir's Cottage. A table was laid with a black cloth and golden dishes, with silver goblets and glass vases of yellow and red roses. Hermione had to laugh.

"Draco, this is beautiful, but everything clashes!" Hermione giggled, and Draco mock-glared at her.

"I see that as a muggle-born you are just too unsophisticated to absorb and understand the subtle symbolism I have arranged for your delight. Alas, I thought I had found the girl of my dreams, but I fear I shall succumb to Pansy Parkinson now that the error of mine ways has been show'n me," Draco said theatrically, hand over heart in mock-heartbreak.

Hermione was laughing hard by the time Draco gathered her into his arms again. "I'm sorry this poor muggle-born can't understand a damn thing," she laughed, breathless, "so could you please explain everything, my lord?" she batted her eyelashes at Draco as she said the last, pretending to be an ill-educated peasant in the presence of her master.

"Like you'd ever submit," Draco said sarcastically.

"Well, maybe you should ask and find out," Hermione teased, and Draco was instantly hard.

"Perhaps later," Draco said in a strained voice. Hermione found her effect on him to be quite pleasing. "Not like you'd ever need educating, 'Mione. You're the brightest girl I've ever met."

Hermione arched a rather inquisitive eyebrow and Draco corrected himself.

"You're the most intelligent person I've ever met. Save myself, of course," Draco smirked, and Hermione had to laugh. "Now, as for the subtle symbolism of the table laying, mine dearest heart," Draco said, slipping back into archaic speech, "Yellow roses, for they're your favorite, and red for how I feel for you. Golden dishes for your sun-kissed skin, and glasses vases fro your purity."

Hermione was touched, but she was still curious as she hugged Draco close, "I'm no purer than you, Draco. But why a black tablecloth and silver goblets?"

"Those are me. Blackness of myself, and silver for how clean you make me feel," Draco said seriously, taking Hermione's face in his hands, turning her head so she looked directly into his eyes.

Impulsively, Hermione kissed Draco softly, savoring the feel of his lips on hers, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. Draco backed up so he was leaning against a wall, and Hermione wrapped a leg around his, slowly climbing up his body. Draco groaned and deepened the kiss, pushing his tongue into her mouth. Hermione shuddered at the intrusion and slid back down until she was on her feet on the floor. Her face was flushed, and Draco gave her a special smile, one she'd never seen him give anyone else.

"I don't think we'll be getting back to school tonight."

After that kiss, Hermione found it damn near impossible to concentrate on anything, let alone food. Because, she was sharing a meal with Draco, and every time he brought his fork or spoon up to his mouth, Hermione found her gaze inexplicably drawn to that wonderful orifice. Finally, Draco was laughing too hard to keep eating.

"Hermione, I made sure we had all your favorites, and I went to the trouble of having them delivered, the muggle way, but you seem more interested in eating me than the meal I provided," Draco said, putting his fork down. He pulled his chair out and stood, towering over Hermione.

"Eek?" Hermione said, trying to sound afraid of the almost six-foot blonde. His hair swung forward as he leaned down and plucked Hermione straight out her chair. He lifted her easily, and soon he was taking her to a room he hadn't shown her earlier. "Oh, is this the bathroom?" Hermione asked sweetly.

"Oh, you are a cheeky one, aren't you, hmm?" Draco said as he kicked a door open. Hermione looked at the magnificent bedroom before her, down in splendid silvers, greens, and blues. It was a very masculine room, with heavy oak and walnut furnishings. Torches illuminated the room slightly, giving it a romantic feel, and a fire blazed in the hearth, facing the foot of the bed. "I've never brought anyone else here, I promise you that. And now you get to help me break it all in. Make love with me, darling?"

Hermione nodded shyly, snuggling her head into Draco's chest. With Ron, she had been confident, impish, even, but Draco made her feel small and shy, like she'd break if he loved her too much or too hard. She let him carry her to the king-sized bed, and he laid her down softly, kissing her forehead, nose, cheeks, helping her open herself to him. Draco removed his shirt first, letting Hermione orient herself as she liked.

She liked to watch him. That was clear, but so were the scars on his chest and back. Hermione reached a hand up and gently traced the worst of the scars, wondering how they had happened. She looked to Draco, who shook his head. She'd find out later, she was sure of it.

Draco reached for Hermione, kissing her, slipping her sweater over her head. He trailed kisses down her face and neck to her décolletage, stopping there to lick and suckle before he removed her bra. She shivered as the cold air hit, and she puckered for him. He laid her back and continued to kiss and lick down her stomach, reaching her skirt.

Draco looked up, into Hermione's eyes, a silent question. Hermione just smiled and closed her eyes, lifting her bum so Draco could slip the skirt and her wisps of panties from her rounded bottom. He growled as he noticed her lingerie.

"These are definitely staying," Hermione heard Draco mutter. She laughed.

Draco continued down her body, finally removing her boots. He let his hair fall as it may, and Hermione giggled at the sensation of his hair over her body, and Draco growled again.

Sitting up, Hermione cared not that she was clad only in her stockings and garter belt. She reached for the buckle on Draco's belt and undid it swiftly. She removed it and the offending pants and boxers, and Draco removed his socks and shoes, and for a moment, they just drank in the sight of one another naked. Or nearly naked, in Hermione's case.

Draco traced a finger down Hermione's face, and she felt her belly tighten in response. She shivered, and Draco chuckled low in his throat.

"Ticklish? Why, I never," he said in a low voice, rubbing his face over her stomach. Dipping his head ever lower, slowly until she couldn't stand it. She dragged his face father until he tasted her, and she screamed for the joy of it. He teased her until her needed her too much to carry on. He pulled his face from her and dragged his body up hers until his face was in her face, and their breath mingled.

"What are you waiting for?" Hermione breathed, pushing at Draco, pulling him, not knowing what she was doing.

"Waiting for the contraception charm to take affect," Draco said, straining to keep himself from her.

Hermione pulled him to her. "Don't worry, I use muggle methods. Everything is just fine the way it is. Now, where were we?"

Draco reared back and surged forward, pushing all the way into her the first try. She was tight, and he was big, but everything was perfect, and Hermione felt moisture in her eyes as he continue to take her, whispering her name as if it were a prayer. It wasn't long before things were coming to an end, and Hermione was biting her lip to try to keep from saying that she loved him. She starting whispering Draco's name, the whispers building until she was screaming along with him.

As Draco felt himself expand as he neared release, he felt her tighten and squirm around him. Sensing she was near the end, too, he held on until it was too much. With one last lunge, he roared her name, collapsing on her as she passed out form the exertion. He looked into her face, still inside her body, and decided it was safe to speak the words he feared.

"I think I'm in love with you, my Hermione."


	11. Later that Night

**On the Differences Between Soulmates and Lifemates**

disclaimer: Harry Potter and all characters therein belong to J.K. Rowling and are borrowed by the author. Any other, original characters belong to the author. Don't take them they'll run away and come back home to me.

**Chapter 11: Later That Night…**

Hermione had almost drifted off when she heard Draco's voice softly whispering to her. He obviously must have thought she was asleep, because he'd never say anything like that to her if she were conscious to hear it. His head was resting lightly on her stomach, and she more felt than heard the words he spoke so carefully.

"I think I'm in love with you, my Hermione."

Hermione had fought the urge to say the words back to him, afraid to get caught up in the moment. She liked him, liked his body and how he used it, but she couldn't understand what was happening. Once she heard Draco's breathing regulate and deepen, Hermione cradled her arms around his head, bringing him closer to her, and snuggling his warm body to hers.

Hermione closed her eyes and leaned back into the soft pillows, letting sleep and a dream take her far away and yet closer than before

Hermione's dream

"Auror Granger, if you feel that your objectivity has been compromised, you must let me know. We can not afford a sneak attack by suspected double-agents," Nymphadora Tonks said to Hermione, pacing in the small interrogation room. Hermione was seated at a table, hands resting on the table, eyes downcast.

"I understand, Auror Tonks, but you must also understand what I say: he was given this mission for a reason. You need to look past what had already happened and past mistakes. He will come through for us, I promise you!" Hermione cried, looking to her supervisor and friend.

"Hermione, if Auror Malfoy doesn't show up within the next 48 hours, I will have to declare him and outlaw and double-agent, and we will be forced to hunt him down. We've already lost Snape to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named; Albus Dumbledore is dead. In my personal opinion, Malfoy shouldn't have been allowed back to Hogwart's. You did the right thing, by going back to Ron. In fact, why don't you take some time off to plan that wedding of yours? You don't have much time left," Tonks said in a mock cheerful voice.

"Yes, I gather I don't have much time left," Hermione trailed off. She rose and left the room, and the office, heading for the Burrow instead of the apartment she and Ron shared.

"Why have you left me, my beloved?" Hermione wailed in the emptiness of the forest that surrounded the Burrow.

end Hermione's dream

Hermione's pulse sped up, and she jerked out of her nightmare. Draco was still asleep, his head on her stomach, and as she half-sat up, he was awakened quite rudely.

"Merlin, 'Mione, what's wrong?" Draco said irritably, trying to snuggle back into her neck.

"Draco, before we go back to Hogwart's, I want to make love with you again, to know that you care for me. You're a good person, your mother made sure of that; show me that with your tenderness," Hermione said weakly.

Draco sat up and took her face in his hands. "Did you have a bad dream? Tell me about it; perhaps that will help," he said, trying to calm her down. He certainly didn't want her to ask him to make love to her and then cry foul later, when she was in her right mind. Consent was all the difference, Draco knew.

"Draco, I don't want to talk about my nightmare, I want you. I. Want. You," Hermione said firmly, putting her hands on Draco's wrists.

"What are you doing, Hermione?" Draco asked breathlessly. No girl had ever been like this with him before; he had always been dominant, but it was apparent that Hermione planned to make him fight for it every time.

"I want you to fuck me. If you won't, then I will just have to fuck you. D'you understand now?" Hermione said huskily, wrapping her fingers around his wrists, turning their bodies so Draco's body was near the head of the bed.

"I'm beginning to," Draco said, trying to rear up on her. Hermione was stronger than she looked, and she managed, just barely, to keep him horizontal.

"Oh, no, things won't be that easy for you, darling. I'm going to take my time with you. My turn," Hermione said with a deep, throaty laugh as she charmed his hands to the head of the bed. Draco's eyes widened; Hermione had no wand on her. "Oh, that, Draco? Why, its wandless magic surely you can do it as well?"

Draco smiled and closed his eyes as Hermione began her slow ascent of his body. She let her hair fall over his bare legs, tickling him and as he shivered, she laughed. Beginning at his knees, Hermione began licking and kissing and biting her way up to his groin. She stopped just short of his cock, which had started out quite soft but by that time was more than hard.

Hermione looked straight into Draco's eyes, which had opened in surprise at how forward she was being. She kissed the top of his shaft, and his body jumped.

"You should know by now that I never just submit," Hermione said, encircling his head with her mouth, sweetly suckling her way down his truncheon until she reached his heavy sack. Tightening her hold, Hermione swiftly sucked back up his shaft. Draco hissed a breath, and Hermione just smiled, turning her attention to his nether parts. She kissed his sack and tongued it gently before sucking it into her mouth, eliciting a hiss of desire from Draco. She applied slight pressure before she let his sack slip from her mouth.

Hermione returned her attention to his shaft, which by then was quite rigid and tall. Hermione grasped it in her hand, using gentle pressure as she pumped until the first bead of moisture appeared. Hermione leaned down and licked it off, and she gazed into Draco's eyes as she did.

"Oh, my, now what will I do? I'm so empty and you're so hard," Hermione said in mock innocence. She rose up on her knees, crawling up the bed to Draco's head. She leaned down and kissed him hard on the lips. She forced her tongue into his mouth. He relented and let her wrestle his tongue, and as she pulled her tongue out of his mouth, he bit her tongue.

"You bit me!" Hermione laughed. Draco just smiled.

"Now you know how I felt," Draco said, straining at his invisible bonds. "Would you please do something about this?" he motioned to his cock, which was standing tall and hard and proud. True to form, every time Hermione moved and her breasts swayed near his body, Draco's cock twitched and he groaned.

"Why, yes, I believe I will," Hermione said, throwing a leg over Draco's body and settling her cunt over his cock. She waited for the action to register before she slid down his shaft slowly and firmly, letting the rod slide oh-so-slowly into her core. After he was in completely, Hermione rose up and completed the action before she started working her legs, pumping up and down, groaning as she rode him hard. Draco was rising off the bed to meet her, thrust for thrust.

Suddenly, Hermione was on her back and Draco was pummeling himself into her body. Hermione looked at him in wonderment.

"Its wandless magic. Surely you can too?" Draco smirked as he abruptly pulled out of her. Hermione cried for loss of him, but Draco was smiling down at her. "I want you, and now it's my turn."

Hermione felt the tug of magical restraints at her wrists, and she gave herself over to Draco's brand of pleasure.

He didn't give her time to anticipate what he would do. He put his face just above her cunt, resting on her stomach as he reached his hands up to play with her breasts. He tweaked her nipples with his thumbs and index fingers until they pebbled and peaked for him. He dragged his body up hers until he could tongue her nipples. He lathed each with his tongue until Hermione squirmed under him. He quickly bit each and left them to focus on her quivering cunney.

"What are you doing, Draco?" Hermione whispered huskily. She was squirming and trying to keep her knees together, put all those years of quidditch hadn't been for nothing. He put his elbows, one in front of the other, at the crease her legs created and pushed her knees apart, bearing all of her to him.

Draco reached down and ran a finger up her pink, moist lips. Hermione shivered and bit her lip, turning her face to the pillow to muffle the sighs and moans coming from her mouth. Draco ran another finger up her lips, and Hermione couldn't muffle the sigh that escaped her. Draco laid down on his stomach, facing her channel, using a finger from each hand to gently spread her lips.

He ran his tongue up her channel, settling on her pleasure nub and suckling on it. He pulled back and looked at her before him, and he smiled.

"You are devastatingly beautiful, Hermione," Draco breathed before applying his tongue to her. He used it like a small, muscular cock, teasing her lips and clit before plunging it in and out, and in and out, until Hermione cried his name in her release.

"Now or never," Draco hissed as he plunged into her, pumping hard for a long time before his tempo increased dramatically, and he was slamming into her, repeating her name as if it were a mantra. Hermione was alternately moaning and crying his name, and it was a half-hour later before they both cried out in mutual release.

As Draco collapsed next to Hermione, her bonds disappeared. She rolled over to face him, and he gathered her into his arms. She inhaled deeply, memorizing the scent of their love-making. He held her tight and close, and he was talking gently to her, making all the promises he could think of.

Hermione finally put a finger to his lips. "Hush, now, darling. There'll be time for talk in the morning, but there'll be no morning if we don't get some rest.

Draco slept peacefully snuggled up to Hermione. Her scent, like wild vanilla and honeysuckle, mixed wonderfully with his own musky male aroma. She snored softly as he ran his hands up and down her body, wondering at her perfection.

Surely he could find a witch, a pureblood witch, who looked as beautiful as she did, who reacted the same way. But would a pureblood witch, raised in obedience first to her father, then to her prospective husband, ever be able to match him the way Hermione had? Draco untangled his arms from around Hermione's sleeping form and rolled onto his back , thinking about the question he was really asking himself:

Would he ever be able to anything like this again with anyone other than Hermione-brightest witch of her age-Granger and feel this way ever again?

Hermione spoke in her sleep, rolling onto her side towards him, her arms seeking Draco out on their own, and she was saying his name, asking him to come back , and to not leave. Draco exhaled loudly and gathered her into his arms, dreading the day to come and the lies he would have to tell. He kissed her forehead and fell into a dreamless sleep.

Early the next morning, Hermione woke Draco up by the simple expedient of kissing him until she aroused some interest. Draco kept his eyes closed but kissed her back until they were both breathless.

"There, now that's not too bad a way to wake up, now is it?" Hermione said, her face flushed a pretty pink. Draco smiled and sat up, but Hermione frowned.

"What is it, Pet?" Draco asked, concern lacing his voice as he reached for her.

"It is a stupid thing, really, Draco. It is of no matter," Hermione said as she blushed.

"What is it, Hermione?" Draco asked again, a little more anxious.

"I like your smile, but I love your smirk."

Draco groaned. "This one?" he smirked what he thought of as his favorite smirk, the one reserved for Potty and Weaselby, but Hermione shook her head 'no'.

"NOT that one, you dolt. The other one. The one you've been giving me since you found out I was available," Hermione smiled sweetly, batting her eyelashes at him.

Draco chuckled. "Ah, this one," he said as he gave her his 'I'm hot, I want you, I know you want me,' dirty smirk, which he was going to try to patent for his own personal use on her as soon as they got back to civilization.

"That's it! I love that smirk," Hermione said, blushing.

"And I love that blush," Draco said, smirking at her again, just to see her blush.

"And I love y that you brought me here. It's beautiful," Hermione recovered, covering her rash pronouncement with what she thought was an ultimately insipid collection of words.

Draco caught Hermione's eye and blushed himself, but he managed to get off the bed and get dressed, which Hermione had already done. He threw on his clothes from the night before, and returned his attention to Hermione.

"We need to get back, before anyone notices we're gone," Draco said, a hint of regret in his voice. He took Hermione in his arms and gave her a swift kiss.

"What was that for?" Hermione said, uncertain on her feet for the first time in her life.

"I want to make a deal with you. Ron can try to win you back, or any boy can try to win you from me, but every week, I want one night here with you, just the two of us. We can study, or just be together, make love I don't care. I want the Hermione I have here, and I want her here, at least one night a week. Understood?" Draco asked, catching her chin in his hand, angling her face so he could look directly into her eyes.

"And what do I get out of this, Draco?" Hermione asked breathlessly.

"My complete and utter fidelity. I will touch no other woman while we're together, nor will I ever bring any other woman to the Heir's cottage. Ever," Draco said seriously.

Hermione sucked in a breath before she answered. "Alright. But you're fine with being the other man, whenever I'm out with anyone else? If I choose not to sleep with you, you won't get it anywhere else? I can sleep with anyone else and you won't say a word?"

Draco looked strangled, his face mottling, but he managed to nod.

"Then, no. I won't treat you like that. I couldn't stand being the other woman," Hermione said as she held Draco at arm's length.

Draco let out the breath he'd been holding. Then he frowned. "Then you don't want to be with me? At all?"

"That's not what I said. I said that I didn't like your conditions. I won't sleep around or cheat on you your should know that. If we're going to do this, we'll do it right."

"Hermione, no matter what we'd like to think, the other boys won't let you be unless you're taken. And I don't think either one of us would be served by shouting our relationship from the rooftops."

Hermione frowned. "I hadn't thought of that. Ron, Harry and Ginny have all filled my parents' ears about you and how you treated us. And I'm sure your parents would be beside themselves if you dated a muggle-born witch."

Draco held Hermione close as he outlined a new plan. "You're right, Hermione, I couldn't stand being the other man indefinitely. But I have another idea. You and Ron were taking time off anyway, and you told him he could try to win you back. How about we don't change public opinion? I'll be just another one of your suitors."

"But you and I will know that we really have a relationship."

"Exactly. But I still want at least one night a week here with you. I don't care if all we do is fall asleep in front of the fire. I want my private time with you."

"I would have to agree. Are you going to play your side as well?" Hermione grimaced at the thought of Pansy Parkinson touching Draco, and she shivered.

"Not quite. You're speaking to the king of Slytherin. If need be, I'll speak privately to the girls who had fancied themselves the next lady of Malfoy Manor, and then I'll have my gang of followers deal with the rest. They'll do what I tell them. You know, I am related, if distantly, to Salazar Slytherin himself?" Draco said proudly.

Hermione almost choked. If that was true, Draco and Harry were very distant cousins. And Ron would have kittens. She smiled at Draco as she envisioned what would be the strangest Christmas on record: Draco, Harry and Ron all fighting over who would be Father Christmas while she and Ginny cooked and watched all the children underfoot. Hermione felt a pang in her chest as she recognized her children and Draco's, Harry and Ginny's, but Ron had only one son, a boy with chocolaty brown eyes and red hair that curled with a mind of its own. She shook her head to bring herself back to reality.

"Why are you doing this, Draco?" Hermione asked quietly. She pulled back from his embrace, looking into his eyes intently.

"Because I want to, Hermione. I want you, and more than that, I want to be with you," he said softly, pulling her closer.

"Do you love me, Draco?"

"Do you love me, Hermione? Could you love me, after everything, and after all is said and done?" Draco's train of thought derailed as Hermione nodded her head silently.

"I love you, Draco."

"And I love you."


	12. Sunday Morning

**On the Differences Between Soulmates and Lifemates**

disclaimer: Harry Potter and all characters therein belong to J.K. Rowling and are borrowed by the author. Any other, original characters belong to the author. Don't take them they'll run away and come back home to me.

**Chapter 12: Sunday **

Hermione's stomach was in knots as she and Draco made their way back to Hogwart's. They loved each other, and it all felt so quick. She'd known him for years, had thought she hated him, and now she was embroiled in a scheme which would make it possible for them to be together, without recompense.

When they finally reached the school, it was towards the end of Sunday breakfast. Hermione used her charm and apparated back to her rooms so she could get changed and meet her friends down at breakfast, after an appropriate excuse as to why she hadn't seen them the night before.

Draco watched Hermione apparate out of his rooms with a 'POP!' before he got changed himself. He dropped the previous night's clothes into a hamper for the school house-elves to take care of before he hit the shower and dressed in denims and a forest green sweater. He grabbed his robes and his wand and was almost out the door when Snape apparated in front of him.

"Professor!" Draco cried, dropping to his knees as Severus Snape collapsed to his knees before him. "What happened?"

"Voldemort. He thinks I'm not working fast enough to bring you into the fold. Lucius has been given another job. Your father will no longer be in charge of bringing you to the Dark Lord. He has given the task to me. And he decided to beat the mission into me," Snape was heaving and retching, a sign of having been a victim of the Cruciartus curse.

Draco kneeled next to his teacher, slipping an arm around him to help him to his feet. "I have to get you to the Hospital Wing. You're injured."

Snape climbed to his feet with Draco's help, but he shook his head at the notion of going to the Hospital Wing. He let Draco support him as he stood and caught his breath.

"I can't go to the Hospital Wing. Pomfrey knows nothing of what's been going on lately. I need to get to the Headmaster's office, and quickly. Do you have an invisibility cloak?" Snape rasped, breathing hard.

"Yeah, but I've never used it. Mum gave it to me, but Lucius wouldn't let me try it," Draco said, using his wandless magic to bring a chair close so Snape can sit.

Snape sat and regarded the young man in front of him. "We need that cloak."When did you find out that you could use telekinesis?"

"What did you call it? I thought it was just wandless magic," Draco said as he rummaged through his things, looking for the invisibility cloak.

Snape leaned back in the chair, gathering his thoughts. "It is a form of wandless magic, but there are specific types or categories. Telekinesis is wandless magic that focuses on moving things. Pyrokinesis is wandless magic that is used to start fires. There are many other categories, but those two seem to go hand in hand. At least, they did in my case."

"That's strange. Two old wizarding families, each with the same abilities. Too bad you don't have a daughter. Then you could have tried to marry her off to me," Draco laughed as he pulled out the invisibility cloak and turned to face Snape.

Snape paled visibly, and he covered himself by speaking. "Yes, but I'm sure I would have sired a son. You have the cloak? Good, we need to get to Albus sooner rather than later."

Draco slipped an arm around Snape's waist, taking as much of the professor's rather insubstantial weight as he could. Snape exhaled shakily and put his arm around Draco's shoulders. Draco carefully threw the invisibility cloak around himself and the professor, and they made their way as quickly and silently as possible to the Headmaster's office.

It only took Draco and Snape about ten minutes to get to Dumbledore. The headmaster was waiting in his antechamber when they arrived. He walked round to Snape's other side and help Draco get the potions master up the stairs leading to the office proper. When they got up the stairs and into the office, Dumbledore and Draco gently levered Snape into an over-stuffed chair, and Dumbledore lit a fire in the hearth with his wand.

He turned his twinkling eyes to Draco as he did so, saying, "But I suppose you could have done that yourself, now, couldn't you?"

Draco swallowed and instead began to speak about Snape and what was going on. "The professor just showed up, injured, from his last meeting. I have to go soon, myself, but I'm worried about him."

Snape closed his eyes as he heard Draco speak so. They had always been closer than Draco had been with Lucius, but Snape didn't want the boy to suffer in the eventuality that Snape would die at the hands of Voldemort. He felt familiar heat in his eyes, and he raised a hand to hide the tears that were coming.

"Draco, I promise you that I will take the best care of Snape. You need to ready yourself for your meeting. I'll have your professor all whole and well to escort you. Go eat, and be ready to leave by one o'clock sharp," Dumbledore said as comfortingly as he could. After all these years, the secrets were beginning to pile up. He'd have to visit his pensieve that night.

"Yes, Headmaster. What will we do if he isn't ready by the time I have to leave?" Draco asked in a worried voice. Snape had been the only one ever to protect him from Voldemort, and Draco rather felt like Snape was his human security blanket. Without him there, Draco had no idea what could happen.

"I have already promised to take care of things, boy. And about your newest 'ability' take pride in it. It has run for a very long time in your family," Dumbledore said with finality. "You could even ask your mother about it."

Snape groaned then, and motioned for Draco to leave. Draco turned on his heel and fled the image of his godfather and favorite professor crying from his pain.


	13. Prelude to the Meeting

**On the Differences Between Soulmates and Lifemates**

disclaimer: Harry Potter and all characters therein belong to J.K. Rowling and are borrowed by the author. Any other, original characters belong to the author. Don't take them they'll run away and come back home to me.

**Chapter 13: Prelude to the Meeting**

Draco had fled the Headmaster's office when Snape had motioned him to leave. Snape was gasping in pain, and Albus Dumbledore could only do so much; the rest would have to come from Snape and Draco. Snape groaned and closed his eyes, waiting for the Headmaster to say something.

"Severus, are you going to be well enough to take Draco to his meeting? He can't go alone, and I don't know that there is anyone else we can trust to guard him. But I won't risk you, my friend," Albus said, resting his hand on Snape's shoulder as he tried to assess the damage that had been done.

"Albus, I won't send him into the vipers nest alone, nor will I send him with anyone other than me. Do what you can, and perhaps I can visit Poppy for any lingering effects. But I maintain that I will do as I have always done: protect him, though he doesn't know why," Snape said and sighed, passing out due to his pain.

"I know, my friend," Albus said softly, going to work on Severus's wounds while the younger man was unconscious and impervious to the pain of the healing spells.

Draco had gone straight to his room to change and gather what he needed for the meeting after he left Dumbledore's office. He changed out of his clothes from the night before and donned black slacks and a black button-down shirt, quickly placing his dress-robes over them before he turned around to grab the object from Dumbledore's office.

Draco was almost out of his rooms with the pillbox from Dumbledore's office when Hermione bounded up to him.

"Draco, where're you going, all dressed up?" Hermione asked, obviously confused. "We need to start on our potions project, and I thought we could get something to eat before we started. You do look mighty swift, though."

Draco forced a smile on his face, and tried to figure out what to say.

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you. Besides which, I don't think you'd believe me."

"Try me."

"I'm going to meet with the Dark Lord and hand over something I stole from Dumbledore's office," Draco said, smiling slightly, pulling Hermione in for a quick embrace.

Hermione laughed. "Alright, so you don't want to tell me what you're doing. Find me when you get back, will you?"

Draco nodded, but as he left, he turned to face Hermione again. "Who're you spending time with today?"

"Probably just the regulars. Why?"

"Good. Ah, nothing. See you for dinner tonight?"

"Sure. My rooms, this time, though," Hermione gave Draco a quick peck on the cheek before she headed to her own rooms.

Draco looked to the ceiling before he headed for Dumbledore's office, the first stretch of his journey for the day.

Snape had gone down to the hospital ward and come back to Dumbledore's office by the time Draco got back. The young man was breathless and looked quite sallow. Dumbledore was pacing, which he never did. Draco had stuffed the pillbox in his pocket and knocked on the final door to the office.

Dumbledore opened the door with a crack. He let Draco in silently, and closed the door firmly behind him. Snape was standing, leaning on the back of an overstuffed chair. Draco approached his favorite teacher carefully.

"Are you alright, Professor?" Draco said evenly, looking at Snape with something akin to affection in his eyes.

"Yes, Draco. This will be a short meeting, and then we will not be going back for a while. What did you tell Granger?" Snape said, standing up straight, the pain showing in his eyes.

"The truth. I knew she wouldn't believe it. She probably thinks I'm out with someone else," Draco said, looking at the floor.

Dumbledore had to laugh. "You and our Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy? And what has Mr. Weasley to say about this?"

"They are 'seeing other people', as some would put it. In fact, she's spending today with him," Draco said, blushing slightly. He definitely did not want to be discussing his love life with his headmaster and professor.

"As she did with you last night?"

"She better not be!" it was out before Draco could think, and he just groaned. "Can we get this finished? I want to be back here sooner rather than later, now that I have that to consider."

"Very well. I will be Apparating the both of us to Malfoy Manor today. You will be called by the Dark One, give your report, hand over the object, be dismissed, and then we will come back here straight away," Snape said, worry clear in his eyes. He frowned, then spoke again. "Don't worry, my boy, I'll be right beside you the entire time, as always."

Albus smiled at the younger men and spoke one last time. "Draco, pay attention to your professor and nothing will happen to you. We will protect you."

Draco nodded, and Snape embraced the boy to Apparate to Malfoy Manor.

Draco and Snape arrived at Malfoy Manor almost instantly. Each took a moment to make sure everything had arrived along with them, and then they were walking up the long path to the manor proper.

When they stood outside the immense double-doors, Snape turned to Draco and embraced him firmly. The doors swung open, and Lucius Malfoy tried to punch Snape, who grabbed the blonde man's fist mid-swing.

"So, Severus, it isn't enough that you love my wife, now you're after my son," Lucius said severely, wrenching his fist from the dark haired man's grip.

Snape kept his arm around Draco's shoulders as he spoke to Lucius. "Narcissa loves as she would. But I can tell you that she has never once cheated on you in the time that you've been married to her. All, what about 16 years? And Draco was born not long after you married, nine months almost to the day. So apparently, you weren't beating her back then."

Lucius raised his hand again, aiming for Draco. Snape grabbed his fist again, and hissed at Lucius. "You will not harm him this day!"

Lucius wrenched his hand free again and let it rest at his side. Draco was confused by the entire display, but his attention was diverted when a small, frail blonde figure appeared in the hall coming toward the three men.

"Mum!" Draco said, starting for her before he realized his father was in the way.

"Narcissa, get back to your damned music room!" Lucius roared, wand raised.

Draco snapped. He raised his hand immediately Lucius's wand caught fire. Lucius swore and dropped the expensive piece of wood, reeling on Draco.

"You're a bastard! Pyrokinesis doesn't run in the Malfoy family! You," he growled, turning on Snape. "When?"

Snape stiffened and paled as Lucius, Draco and Narcissa all stared at him with different questions in their eyes. Lucius, angry and wanting to know when he had been betrayed; Narcissa, begging him to save her; Draco, wondering what had happened and who he was.

"I told you. Narcissa never cheated on you during the time you have been married," Snape said quietly.

Narcissa stepped forward, towards Severus. "I never wanted to marry you, Lucius. You are cruel and dark. So on the night before I wed you, I gave myself to my true husband. Draco is the product of that night, not of the vicious rape you perpetrated on me the night I was forced to wed you."

Draco was dazed, but Lucius was livid. "You bloody cunt! How dare you?! I raised this boy as if he were my own flesh and blood. How dare you?!" Lucius could only raise his fist to strike his wife, but Draco's eyes flashed to Lucius.

"I wouldn't, if I were you. Flesh will burn as easily as wood for me. You've gotten what you deserve, you prick. Now, I have an appointment to keep. We can all discuss this after that. And don't think of mentioning this to the Dark Lord, Lucius. He would be much more likely to kill you for lack of a son than for being tricked or caught up in young love," Draco said in a dead voice. He strode into the house with confidence, but inside he was crippled and young.

The trio of adults stood mortified by the entrance to the manor. Snape was outside, Lucius inside, and Narcissa in the doorway.

"He wasn't supposed to find out like this," Snape thought.

"They were never supposed to find out," Narcissa thought.

"Bloody fuck. The Dark Lord will kill us all," Lucius thought.


End file.
